Electoral Registration

Robert Wilson: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs What her policy is on use of national insurance numbers as an identifier in electoral registration.

Harriet Harman: I refer the hon. Member for Reading East to the answer I gave earlier to the hon. Member for Ludlow.

Electoral Registration

Edward Leigh: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what her policy is on use of national insurance numbers as an identifier in electoral registration.

Harriet Harman: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Ludlow (Mr. Dunne) earlier.

Community Legal Service

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what her plans are for Community Legal Service Direct.

Bridget Prentice: The plans for Community Legal Service Direct are to improve the service through the website, telephone service and information leaflets continuously, based on user feedback. It is also planned to increase the number of people helped by the service as follows:
	
		
			  2004–05 2005–06 
		
		
			 New telephone advice matters 23,000 60,000 
			 Website visits 631,000 850,000 
			 Leaflets downloaded 121,000 150,000 
			 Leaflets distributed 1,700,000 2,400,000 
		
	
	These targets are included in Public Sector Agreement 5 for the Legal Services Commission and Department for Constitutional Affairs, which emerged following SR2004.

Data Protection Act

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what steps her Department is taking to inform (a) other departments and (b) agencies of the position of hon. Members representing their constituencies in terms of the Data Protection Act 1998.

Bridget Prentice: The Cabinet Office provides relevant guidance on the Data Protection Act in Section 16 of the "Data Protection Act 1998: Standards and Best Practice Handbook for Government Departments". This is available on the Cabinet Office website.
	The Information Commissioner also provides Guidance on the disclosure of sensitive data to Members of Parliament carrying out constituency casework.

Legal Aid

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how much was paid in legal aid fees for (a) civil work and (b) criminal work in each of the last five years; and if she will make a statement.

Bridget Prentice: Payments made by the Legal Services Commission for civil and criminal work, in cash, since 2000–01 are shown in the table:
	
		
			£ million 
			  Civil Criminal (below Crown Court) Criminal (Crown Court and above) 
		
		
			 2000–01 791.9 450.4 422.0 
			 2001–02 734.5 508.3 474.1 
			 2002–03 812.8 526.4 569.3 
			 2003–04 897.9 533.5 645.0 
			 2004–05 845.9 509.7 682.4

Legal Aid

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many law firms, have contracted for criminal legal aid work in each year since the Access to Justice Act 1999 came into force, broken down by region

Bridget Prentice: The number of law firms contracted for criminal legally aided work, by region, since the Legal Services Commission (LSC) began operating the General Criminal Contract in 2001 are set out in the table.
	The figures shown in the answer are figures taken directly from the LSC's scrutiny and payment of criminal claims (SPOCC) system and include firms who, although may not still have a contract with the LSC, are still billing for work that was carried out under their contract.
	
		
			  2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 
			  Start End Start End Start End 
		
		
			 East Midlands 209 214 214 211 212 200 
			 Eastern 207 217 218 204 204 192 
			 London 471 488 488 532 533 504 
			 Merseyside 76 73 73 80 80 71 
			 North East 197 199 200 197 196 182 
			 North West 367 355 356 350 352 353 
			 South East 334 330 333 337 338 302 
			 South West 257 250 251 243 243 229 
			 Wales 265 250 250 255 256 244 
			 West Midlands 287 284 285 271 272 271 
			 Yorkshire Humberside 255 268 268 267 266 249 
			 Total 2,925 2,928 2,936 2,947 2,956 2,797 
		
	
	
		
			  2004–05 2005–06 
			  Start End Start Current 
		
		
			 East Midlands 201 192 193 198 
			 Eastern 193 181 181 183 
			 London 505 497 498 510 
			 Merseyside 72 65 65 65 
			 North East 182 162 162 166 
			 North West 354 331 333 324 
			 South East 303 306 308 303 
			 South West 230 200 201 199 
			 Wales 245 225 225 220 
			 West Midlands 271 265 266 268 
			 Yorkshire Humberside 249 237 237 237 
			 Total 2,805 2,661 2,669 2,673

Legal Aid (Northern Ireland)

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how much legal aid was paid to (a) solicitors, (b) junior counsel and (c) senior counsel in each year in Northern Ireland since 2000.

Bridget Prentice: The amount of criminal legal aid paid since the financial year 2000–01 is set out in the table:
	
		
			  £ million 
			  2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 
		
		
			 Solicitors 11.7 13.3 12.8 14.2 16.6 
			 Senior Counsel 4.2 5 6.8 6.9 6.9 
			 Junior Counsel 6 6.3 7.3 8.2 9.1 
			 Total 21.9 24.6 26.9 29.3 32.6 
		
	
	The amount of civil legal aid paid since the financial year 2000–01 is set out as follows:
	
		
			  £ million 
			  2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 
		
		
			 Solicitors 14.7 15.1 15.5 16.1 21.7 
			 All counsel(1) 1.9 2.5 3.3 4.8 4.7 
			 Total 16.6 17.6 18.8 20.9 26.4 
		
	
	(1) As fees to counsel in civil cases are paid as a disbursement to the instructing solicitor details of the amount paid to senior and junior counsel is not retained in an accessible form.

Public Defender Scheme

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many defendants are being represented by public defenders in each area where pilots are taking place; and what plans she has to extend the scheme to other areas of the country.

Bridget Prentice: Data collection under the PDS does not specifically record the numbers of defendants helped, but rather the number of "matter starts." Each "matter start" refers to an act of help given by a PDS representative. The nature of the help can vary from advice and assistance at the police station to representation before the courts. On this basis, the number of matters started at each PDS office during 2004–05 is set out as follows:
	
		Matters started: 2004–05
		
			 PDS office Number 
		
		
			 Liverpool 719 
			 Middlesbrough 582 
			 Swansea 508 
			 Birmingham 427 
			 Cheltenham 1,052 
			 Pontypridd 421 
			 Chester 385 
			 Darlington 540 
			 Total 4,634 
		
	
	At present any further expansion of the scheme is subject to the final evaluation of the PDS pilot, due to be published in autumn 2005. These findings will determine the future of the Public Defender Service.

Work-related Stress

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many cases of work-related stress have been reported in her Department in each of the last three years; how much compensation was paid to employees in each year; how many work days were lost due to work-related stress in each year; at what cost; what procedures have been put in place to reduce work-related stress; at what cost; and if she will make a statement.

Bridget Prentice: Detailed sick absence statistics are derived from medical and self-certificates, which are completed by staff or their GPs. While certain illnesses, such as "depression", "anxiety", "general debility" and even "stress" may be indicated on certificates, it is not possible to determine levels of "work-related stress". Consequently, we have no details on the number of working days lost due to work-related stress or the cost to the Department.
	Over the last year the Department has introduced a stress at work policy and a managers' toolkit to ensure that the policy is used effectively and at appropriate times. The Department has also introduced a stress helpline as part of its internal occupational welfare provision and enhanced its two existing courses for managers and individuals on managing stress in the workplace. All these new initiatives are based on best practice and on the Stress Management Standards issued by the Health and Safety Executive last year. It is not possible to estimate the costs associated with these activities since they were not accounted for separately. Similarly, we have no records of costs associated with compensation for work-related stress.

Antibiotics (Animals)

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the use in animals of antibiotic substances also used in human medicine, with particular reference to (a) amoxicillin, (b) tetracycline and (c) clindamycin.

Ben Bradshaw: holding answer 4 July 2005
	In October 2003 VMD and the Department of Health prepared lists of all antimicrobial compounds authorised in the UK for use in humans and animals (species noted against each entry). The lists are available on the VMD website www.vmd.gov.uk.
	With specific reference to the antimicrobial ingredients amoxicillin, and clindamycin, and the antimicrobial class of tetracyclines, the following table details the animal species in which these antimicrobials are also authorised for use.
	
		
			 Antibiotic substances  
		
		
			 Amoxicillin Dogs, Cats, Pigeons, Poultry, Cattle, Pigs, Sheep, Fish. 
			 Tetracyclines Pigs, Poultry, Cattle, Sheep, Horses, Deer, Pigeons, Cage Birds, Cats, Dogs, Small Animals, Fish. 
			 Clindamycin Dogs, Cats. 
		
	
	The Government recognise that antimicrobials are essential medicines for ensuring the good health of both humans and animals. Controls are in place to safeguard the proper use of antimicrobials and to minimise the development of resistance that can make products less efficacious.
	Antimicrobial veterinary medicinal products may only be used under the direction of a veterinary surgeon on animals in his care and this ensures they are used only when necessary and that advice on use is available to the animal owner to minimise the development of antimicrobial resistance.
	A Code of Practice on the Responsible Use of Animal Medicines on the Farm has been produced by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate and is available at their website. There are also a number of guidelines available concerning the responsible use of antimicrobials in livestock that have been produced by the Responsible Use of Medicines in Agriculture Alliance (RUMA).

Cetaceans

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations the Government have made to the (a) EU Council and (b) EU member states for increased levels of protection for cetaceans; and if she will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: Following pressure from the UK for community wide action Council Regulation 812/2004 establishing measures to address the incidental bycatch of small cetaceans was adopted by the Agriculture and Fisheries Council in March 2004. Earlier this year I asked the European Commission to extend the UK prohibition on pair trawling within 12 miles of the south west coast to vessels from other member states with historic rights of access to the 6–12 mile zone. I sought support for these measures from the French Minister for fisheries. This request was subsequently rejected by the Commission.
	At the Agriculture and Fisheries Council in March 2004 I secured a commitment from the Commission to conduct a review this year of existing bycatch data to determine whether further action is needed. ICES (The International Council for the Exploration of the Sea) has recently published its review of data at http://www.ices.dk, which will now be considered by the Commission.
	I will continue to promote and support measures to protect cetaceans.

Computer Crime

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many cases of computer (a) hacking, (b) fraud and (c) theft her Department recorded in each year since 2001–02; and for each year, on how many occasions computer systems have been illegally accessed by computer hackers (i) within and (ii) outside her Department.

Jim Knight: The Department is not aware of any successful hacking or fraud involving its IT systems during the period. The Department deploys anti-hacking measures on its IT network including firewalls, application firewalls, hardening of servers, intrusion detection systems and IT security health checks.
	The following numbers of computer thefts are recorded for the period:
	
		Computer thefts
		
			  Number of items stolen 
		
		
			 2001–02 13 
			 2002–03 23 
			 2003–04 2 
			 2004–05 3

Emissions Trading Scheme

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the treatment of funds collected under the EU Emissions Trading Scheme.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 30 June 2005
	The EU Emissions Trading Scheme works at an installation rather than state-level, and therefore any potential profits or losses from the Scheme are accrued by the individual operator.
	The two categories of payments from individual operators under the EU Emissions Trading Scheme are regulator fees and civil penalties. Fees are imposed by the regulator to cover the costs incurred in administering the scheme. The regulator also administers the collection of civil penalties, levied when regulations have been broken. Regulation 41 of the Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading Scheme Regulations 2005 requires the regulator to collect any civil penalties, and then to pass them to the "appropriate authority", before entering the Treasury's Consolidated Fund. The appropriate authority is the Secretary of State for installations in England and offshore installations, the Scottish Ministers for installations in Scotland, the Welsh Assembly for installations in Wales, and the Department of Environment for Northern Ireland.
	Operators can avoid paying civil penalties by purchasing (and surrendering) additional allowances from other operators, in line with their obligations under the Scheme.

Emissions Trading Scheme

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will assess the merits of including aircraft emissions in the European Emissions Trading Scheme.

Elliot Morley: Aviation accounted for approximately 3 per cent. of the EU's carbon dioxide emissions in 2001. While this is a relatively modest share, this represents an increase of 68 per cent. from 1990 levels. Furthermore, in their 1999 Special Report on Aviation and the Global Atmosphere, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) estimated that the total climate change effect from aviation is approximately two-four times larger than the effect of its CO 2 emissions alone. The EU has recognised the need to tackle this growing area of emissions in the absence of other international action.
	The use of emissions trading allows the coverage of environmental costs through a mixture of emissions reductions within the sector and purchase of reductions that can be produced more cheaply by other sectors. The advantage of emissions trading is that, through the use of a defined emissions cap, it guarantees a desired environmental outcome in a way that other instruments, such as charges, do not. Furthermore, it ensures that the emissions reductions required to achieve a particular environmental outcome take place in as cost-effective a manner as possible.
	For an international industry, an international trading regime is the best solution. The Government have made taking forward the work programme for the inclusion of aviation emissions into the EU Emissions Trading Scheme a priority for the UK presidency of the EU. While there are further instruments that may be appropriate, our focus is on emissions trading as the most cost effective way of delivering our environmental objective.

Forestry

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much central government financial support has been made available for private sector forestry in the East midlands region in the last 10 years; and whether her Department plans to change the allocation.

Jim Knight: With the introduction of the Forestry Commission's English Woodland Grant Scheme later this month we will, for the first time, be allocating forestry grant funding on a regional basis. Grants under the previous Woodland Grant Scheme were funded on a national basis. The following table gives details of payments in the East midlands for each year for the last 10 years.
	
		Forestry commission grant scheme payments
		
			 Financial year £000 
		
		
			 2003–04 1,955 
			 2002–03 1,774 
			 2001–02 1,699 
			 2000–01 2,018 
			 1999–2000 1,957 
			 1998–99 1,642 
			 1997–98 2,164 
			 1996–97 (2)1,933 
			 1995–96 (2)1,079 
			 1994–95 (2)1,143 
		
	
	(2) This figure includes estimated payments of £133,000 that were made against old grant schemes and which are not recorded on the current financial management systems.
	The allocation of funds for the current financial year is £2.0 million. This is for payments due under grant schemes agreed in previous years and for new applications that will be approved this year. Future years funding will depend on national and regional priorities.
	In addition much of the National Forest lies within the east midlands region. Payments under their tender scheme, which is principally funded by DEFRA, are given in the following table. This excludes the woodland grant scheme element of the scheme, which is included in the for mention table.
	
		National forest company tender scheme payments
		
			 Financial year £000 
		
		
			 2004–05 1,660 
			 2003–04 1,926 
			 2002–03 1,930 
			 2001–02 1,899 
			 2000–01 1,693 
			 1999–2000 1,583 
			 1998–99 1,158 
			 1997–98 1,205 
			 1996–97 795 
			 1995–96 453 
		
	
	There are no plans to change the funding allocated to the National Forest in the current spending review period.

GM Crops (EU Environment Council)

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will publish the full text of contributions made by UK representatives in the EU Council of Ministers discussion on 24 June on genetically modified crops and food.

Elliot Morley: At Environment Council the Presidency asked member states to intervene only if their voting position on the GM proposals had changed. The UK had not changed its voting position (either on the question of whether to approve the GMO MON 863, or on the dossiers relating to other member states' safeguard actions) so no intervention was necessary.

International Whaling

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what action she plans to take through the International Whaling Commission to seek greater protection for cetaceans.

Ben Bradshaw: We will continue to maintain our opposition to all forms of whaling other than some limited subsistence whaling. The UK strongly supports the IWC moratorium on commercial whaling and our major objective will be to resist any attempt to lift the moratorium.
	The UK will support the creation of regional whale sanctuaries and the continuation of existing ones. We will also continue to oppose so called "scientific" whaling and seek to raise welfare issues at every suitable opportunity, highlighting the cruelty involved in whaling.

Smog

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many smog warnings have been issued in London in each year since 1979.

Ben Bradshaw: Forecasts of high air pollution are issued when Defra estimates that concentrations of specific air pollutants are likely to exceed guideline values. The table shows the number of forecasts of high air pollution in London published by Defra from 1992 (the first year that forecasts were available) to the present time.
	Defra warns of high air pollution through the Air Quality Information Archive at www.airquality.co.uk, Teletext, page 169 and the freephone service 0800 556677. On occasions when a notable air pollution episode is forecast, such as the first photochemical smog in any year, Defra may supplement these forecasts with a news release.
	
		Number of forecasts of high air pollution in London published by Defra(3)
		
			  Number of forecasts of high air pollution 
		
		
			 1992 90 
			 1993(4) 94 
			 1994 94 
			 1995 118 
			 1996 139 
			 1997(5) 12 
			 1998 15 
			 1999(4) 8 
			 2000 8 
			 2001 13 
			 2002 3 
			 2003 13 
			 2004 4 
			 2005(6) 2 
		
	
	(3) Number of days when a forecast for high air pollution was published for one or more of the pollutants included in the air quality banding and index system. Details of the air pollution banding and index system are available at http://www.airquality.co.uk/archive/standards.phpband
	(4) There are no numbers available for the individual years 1993 and 1994. The numbers presented are the average for 1993 and 1994. The same applies to 1999 and 2000.
	(5) The guideline values for some air pollutants were changed in 1997 following advice from the Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants (COMEAP) and a public consultation. A statement from COMEAP is available at http://www.advisorybodies.doh.gov.uk/comeap/statementsreports/airpol9.htm. Before 1997 the air quality guidelines for "poor" air quality were: nitrogen dioxide, 191 microgrammes per metre cubed as an hourly average; sulphur dioxide, 333 microgrammes per metre cubed as an hourly average; and ozone, 180 microgrammes per metre cubed as an hourly average. From 1997 onwards, the thresholds for the definition of high pollution were defined as: nitrogen dioxide, 573 microgrammes per metre cubed as an hourly average; sulphur dioxide, 532 microgrammes per metre cubed as a 15 minute average; ozone was unchanged. In 1997 guideline values for particulate matter (PMio) and carbon monoxide were added. These are: PM 1 0 , 97 microgrammes per metre cubed, gravimetric equivalent; carbon monoxide, 17.4 microgrammes per metre cubed.
	(6) High forecasts up to 30 June 2005.

Defence Export Services Organisation

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  on how many occasions in the last 12 months the Defence Export Services Organisation has provided information to UK companies about agents; if he will list the companies to which this information was given; and in which countries the agents were based;
	(2)  on how many occasions between April 2004 and December 2004 officials from the Defence Export Services Organisation met BAE Systems to discuss agents in relation to Export Credits Guarantee Department disclosure requirements;
	(3)  whether the Defence Export Services Organisation has provided information to BAE Systems on the selection of agents since April 2004.

Adam Ingram: If the Defence Export Services Organisation (DESO) has information likely to assist UK companies including BAES, in selecting agents suitable to act for them overseas, our policy is to make this available. Provision of such advice is part of normal DESO business. DESO has staff in many countries overseas, and instances of such advice are not centrally recorded.

Asian Tsunami

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much of the aid pledged by the Government to provide relief to countries that were affected by the Asian tsunami has so far been paid.

Gareth Thomas: Nearly £67 million out of the £75 million allocated to meet immediate relief needs has been programmed through United Nations agencies, the Red Cross movement and non-governmental organisations and DFID direct action. So far £60 million of this has been disbursed. A further detailed breakdown of this spending can be obtained in the document entitled "A breakdown of DFID's immediate relief response to the Indian ocean earthquake and tsunami" which has been placed in the libraries of the House. The balance of the £67 million will be drawn down by the recipient agencies as needed. The remaining monies out of the £75 million have been earmarked for disaster risk reduction initiatives in affected countries.
	DFID has also allocated £65 million to meet reconstruction needs. From this allocation, £36 million has been committed to Indonesia, of which £6 million has so far been paid out to the Multi Donor Trust Fund. A further £2 million has been committed to Sri Lanka and £3 million to India to provide technical assistance aimed at ensuring effective, transparent and equitable programming of tsunami reconstruction efforts. The remaining £24 million of the £65 million allocation for reconstruction has not yet been programmed.

Haiti

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what plans the EU has for development assistance to Haiti.

Gareth Thomas: The European Commission (EC) is one of the leading donors supporting Haiti's Interim Co-operation Framework (ICF), which sets out a comprehensive two-year plan for Haiti's development from September 2004 to 2006. The EC pledged a total of €294 million to the ICF, comprising of primarily the remaining funds available to Haiti under the 8th European Development Fund (EOF) and Haiti's allocation under the 9th European Development Fund (EOF) (€167 million).
	The Commission is utilising the remaining funds under the 8th EOF and €95.6 million from the 9th EOF to support programmes that directly benefit the Haitian people, strengthen civil society and the private sector, and support democratisation, the rule of law and the electoral process; and other short and medium term priorities identified through the ICF.
	Discussions are underway between the Commission and the Haitian Interim Government to prepare an indicative programme for the balance of funds (€72 million) allocated to Haiti under the 9th EOF. The indicative programme will be signed and implemented once national elections deemed free and fair are held. National elections are scheduled for later this year.
	The EC has taken measures to improve the disbursement rate of this substantial funding by reinforcing the Commission staff in Haiti and simplifying the procedures for implementing projects.

Haiti

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps the Government have taken to support poverty eradication in Haiti.

Gareth Thomas: The UK Government are currently supporting poverty eradication in Haiti through our contributions to, and engagement with, the international community working in Haiti, and through our support to civil society organisations operating in Haiti.
	The Interim Cooperation Framework (ICF) in Haiti sets out a comprehensive plan for poverty eradication and stabilisation in Haiti. The UK Government are supporting the implementation of this plan through our contributions to the World Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), and the European Commission (EC). The UK share of the pledges these institutions have made to the ICF is approximately £35 million.
	The UK is also currently engaged in the negotiation of the 6th Replenishment of the Caribbean Development Bank's (CDB)s concessional fund, the Special Development Fund (SDF). A major issue for this replenishment is Haiti's imminent accession to membership of the CDB, and the terms under which Haiti will access resources from the SDF.
	Through its engagement with the international donor community, the UK Government have also been advocating for better donor co-ordination, reduction of implementation bottlenecks and greater poverty focus, in order to ensure positive impacts on the ground for poor Haitians. In light of the links between security and poverty eradication, the UK Government are also supporting the international efforts to improve the security situation and to follow up security operations with social, economic and humanitarian programmes. For example, the UK contributes 7.4 per cent. of the budget of the UN Stabilisation Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH), likely to be £20 million in 2005–06. In 2004, DFID also provided some £4 million in humanitarian assistance to Haiti in response to the political unrest, the May floods, and Tropical Storm Jeanne. This too was channelled through international NGOs, the Red Cross Movement, United Nations humanitarian agencies, and our share of European Community humanitarian assistance.
	The UK Government also supports NGOs in their poverty eradication efforts in Haiti. Currently, five of the British NGOs supported through DFID's Partnerships Programme Agreements for Latin America and the Caribbean include Haiti in their existing or planned country coverage. DFID has allocated a total of £6.2 million to these NGOs in 2005–06 (CARE—£1.5 million, OXFAM—£1.5 million, Christian Aid—£1.1 million, CAFOD—£1.1 million and the International HIV/AIDS Alliance—£1 million). The FCO also supports small-scale poverty-focused civil society projects in Haiti through its Small Grants Scheme. The 2005–06 allocation for this scheme is £100,000.

Benefit Fraud

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his latest estimate is of the value of fraud connected with each social security benefit; and if he will make a statement.

James Plaskitt: The measurement of fraud and error is complex and expensive and therefore it is concentrated on benefits with the highest expenditure and risk of loss, such as income support, jobseeker's allowance and housing benefit.
	Up-to-date estimates of fraud and error in disability living allowance (DLA) will become available later this month when the results of the current review of DLA are
	published.
	The available information is as follows.
	
		
			£ million 
			 Benefit Measurement period Monetary value fraud (MVF) central estimate 95 per cent. confidence intervals(7) 
		
		
			 Income support 2003–04 310 270–360 
			 Jobseeker's allowance2003–04 90 70–110 
			 Pension credit/MIG 2003–04 70 40–90 
			 Incapacity benefit 2000–01 No estimate(8) (9)0–19 
		
	
	(7) The estimates are derived from sampling exercises and are subject to sampling error. The impact of these statistical uncertainties is expressed by means of 95 per cent. confidence intervals.
	(8) No cases of fraud were found so a central estimate could not be produced, only an upper limit.
	(9) When making estimates using older figures, we calculate the fraud per unit benefit expenditure and uprate the monetary value estimate by applying this rate to current expenditure. In the case of IB, where expenditure on IB has barely changed since 2000–01, there has been no change in our best estimate of MVF.
	Note:
	Benefits measured prior to 1997 are not included because the measurement methodology was different previous to this and, thus, the results are not comparable.
	For the year to March 2004, around £600 million was estimated to have been overpaid due to fraud and error in housing benefit (HB). Fraud is estimated to have accounted for between a quarter and a half of the £600 million, depending upon how much of the overpaid HB arising from "non residence" was due to fraud. Non-residence fraud and error is where the claimant is not resident at the property for which HB is being paid. In these circumstances, it is often hard for our investigators to ascertain whether there was fraudulent intent.

Terminal Illness (Benefits)

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  for how long on average awards of (a) disability living allowance and (b) attendance allowance under the special rules for terminal illness lasted in the last year for which figures are available from the date of award to the claimant's death or the termination of the claim;
	(2)  what the average duration of special rules awards for cancer patients was in the last year for which figures are available;
	(3)  what the duration of (a) disability living allowance and (b) attendance allowance special rules awards were for each of the last five years, from the date of award to the claimant's death or end of claim; and for how many claimants awards lasted up to (i) one month, (ii) one to two months, (iii) two to three months, (iv) three to four months, (v) four to five months, (vi) five to six months, (vii) six to seven months, (viii) seven to eight months, (i) eight to nine months, (ix) nine to 10 months, (x) 10 to 11 months, (xi) 11 to 12 months and (xii) more than 12 months;
	(4)  what the duration of (a) disability living allowance and (b) attendance allowance special rules awards made to cancer patients were in each of the last five years, from the date of award to the claimant's death or end of claim; and for how many claimants awards lasted up to (i) one month, (ii) one to two months, (iii) two to three months, (iv) three to four months, (v) four to five months, (vi) five to six months, (vii) six to seven months, (viii) seven to eight months, (ix) eight to nine months, (x) nine to 10 months, (xi) 10 to 11 months, (xii) 11 to 12 months and (xiii) more than 12 months.

Anne McGuire: The requested information is not available. The information that is available is in the tables.
	
		Disability living allowance and attendance allowance special rules awards. Estimated numbers of awards which terminated in each of the years from 2000–01 to 2004–05; estimated durations of those awards at the point at which they terminated; and estimated average duration of awards which terminated in 2004–05
		
			   Duration of terminated awards  
			  Total number of terminated awards Over 3 months and up to 6 months Over 6 months and up to 9 months Over 9 months and up to 12 months Over 12 months Average duration of terminated awards (weeks) 
		
		
			 2000–01 70,500 23,700 16,900 9,000 20,800 — 
			 2001–02 75,600 23,500 19,800 9,900 22,400 — 
			 2002–03 73,200 21,200 19,100 9,500 23,400 — 
			 2003–04 71,100 19,600 19,000 9,700 22,800 — 
			 2004–05 70,300 19,000 18,500 9,900 22,900 62 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Figures are rounded to the nearest hundred and may not sum due to rounding.
	2. From November 2002, the methodology for producing DLA and AA figures was changed to allow statistics to be published much sooner. This has resulted in a small increase in the reported caseload. This is because some cases which have actually terminated but have not yet been updated on the computer system are now included.
	Source:
	DWP Information Directorate, 5 per cent. sample data.
	
		Disability living allowance and attendance allowance special rules awards. Estimated numbers of awards made to people whose main disabling condition was recorded as "Malignant Disease—including Cancer, Carcinoma and Leukaemia" which terminated in each of the years from 2001–02 to 2004–05; estimated durations of those awards at the point at which they terminated; and estimated average duration of awards which terminated in 2004–05
		
			   Duration of terminated awards  
			  Total number of terminated awards Over 3 months and up to 6 months Over 6 months and up to 9 months Over 9 months and up to 12 months Over 12 months Average duration of terminated awards (weeks) 
		
		
			 2000–01 20,000 5,900 4,900 2,800 6,400 — 
			 2001–02 21,700 6,100 5,600 3,200 6,900 — 
			 2002–03 20,600 5,200 5,100 3,000 7,200 — 
			 2003–04 19,200 4,300 5,000 2,600 7,300 — 
			 2004–05 20,200 4,500 5,000 3,100 7,600 65 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Figures are rounded to the nearest hundred and may not sum due to rounding.
	2. Figures do not include awards in respect of people who may have had cancer, but whose main disabling condition was not recorded as "Malignant Disease—including Cancer, Carcinoma and Leukaemia'.
	3. From November 2002, the methodology for producing DLA and AA figures was changed to allow statistics to be published much sooner. This has resulted in a small increase in the reported caseload. This is because some cases which have actually terminated but have not yet been updated on the computer system are now included.
	Source:
	DWP Information Directorate, 5 per cent. sample data.

Advertising Expenditure

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much the (a) Department and (b) non-departmental bodies for which the Department is responsible has spent on advertising type in the last three years, broken down by media type.

Maria Eagle: My Department's expenditure on advertising broken down by media type for the last three years is set out as follows:
	
		
			£000 
			  2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 
		
		
			 Advertising spend 11,261 16,948 11 ,825 
			 Press 1,895 2,580 2,266 
			 Regional 249 185 740 
			 TV 5,966 10,110 4,177 
			 Radio 1,362 2,923 3,897 
			 Poster 960 543 744 
			 Cinema 549 — — 
			 Internet 279 604 — 
		
	
	It is not possible, except at disproportionate cost, to provide a breakdown of spend on advertising from non-departmental bodies for which the Department is responsible.
	All expenditure is exclusive of VAT.

National Vocational Qualifications

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many people attained NVQ Level (a) 1, (b) 2, (c) 3, (d) 4 and (e) 5 in engineering in each year between 1997 and 2004.

Phil Hope: The following table shows UK estimates for the number of qualifications awarded in engineering in each year between 1997 and 2004. Numbers have been rounded to the nearest 100.
	
		NVQ attainment in engineering 1997 to 2004
		
			 Year of award Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 Level 5 Total 
		
		
			 1997/98 4,000 29,100 12.400 300 0 45,700 
			 1998/99 2,200 29,100 14,406 400 0 46,100 
			 1999/2000 1,600 26,800 17,800 300 0 46,500 
			 2000/01 1,400 23,500 14,600 200 0 39,600 
			 2001/02 2,700 15,700 14,000 100 0 32,600 
			 2002/03 3,900 16,100 12,200 100 0 32,300 
			 2003/04 4,000 16,500 11,500 200 0 32,100 
		
	
	The engineering sector continues to be significantly involved with the Government's apprenticeship programmes and numbers entering engineering programmes are increasing with over 28,000 people currently in learning.

Government Bonds

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the average interest rate yield on 10-year Government bonds in the UK was in each year for each of the last 10 years.

Ivan Lewis: The following table sets out the average yield on 10-year nominal UK Government bonds ("gilts") for each calendar year between 1994 and 2004.
	
		Percentage
		
			  Average yield on 10-year maturity gilts 
		
		
			 1994 8.0 
			 1995 8.2 
			 1996 7.8 
			 1997 7.0 
			 1998 5.5 
			 1999 5.0 
			 2000 5.3 
			 2001 4.9 
			 2002 4.9 
			 2003 4.5 
			 2004 4.9 
		
	
	It is misleading to consider debt-servicing costs based on 10-year nominal gilts only, because this would not take account of the range of maturities and yields at which Governments issue bonds.

Income Tax

Andrew Turner: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what level of standard rate of income tax he estimates would be required, assuming no other changes to behaviour, to recoup the revenue lost from (a) abolition of the lower rate of income tax and (b) plus raising the threshold to (i) £10,000 and (ii) £15,000.

Dawn Primarolo: The information for 2005–06 is given in the following table.
	
		
			  Basic rate and higher rate required for approximate tax neutrality 
			 Personal allowance (£) Basic rate Higher rate 
		
		
			 10,000 31 (12)40 
			 15,000 46 (12)40 
			 15,000 44 (13)44 
		
	
	(12) This is the current higher tax rate.
	(13) This costing assumes a flat (basic and higher) tax rate.
	Estimates are based on the 2002–03 Survey of Personal Incomes projected forward in line with Budget 2005 assumptions.
	The figures exclude any estimate of behavioural response, which could be significant given the scale of the changes.
	These estimates have been obtained after increasing all personal allowances (i.e. the personal allowances and personal allowances for individuals aged 65 and above) to either £10,000 or £15,000.
	These estimates assume abolishing the 10 per cent, starting rate of income tax only. This means no changes to basic rates in savings income and on dividends.
	The costing also assumes the basic rate band has been extended to include the starting rate band.

Nervous System Diseases

Robert Flello: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the incidence of (a) brain tumours, (b) other cancers, (c) Parkinson's disease and (d) other diseases of the nervous system per 1,000 of the population was in (i) England and (ii) the ST3 postcode area in the last period for which figures are available.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Colin Mowl to Mr. Robert Flello, dated 5 July 2005
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent question concerning the incidence of (a) brain tumours, (b) other cancers, (c) Parkinson's disease and (d) other diseases of the nervous system per 1,000 population in (i) England and (ii) the ST3 postcode area in the last period for which figures are available. I am replying in his absence.
	The most recent available figures on newly diagnosed cases of cancer are for the year 2002. The number and rates of newly diagnosed cases of brain cancer and other cancers were published in "Cancer registrations in England, 2002". This publication shows the age-standardised incidence rates (directly standardised to the European standard population). For brain cancer these were 7.8 in males and 5.2 in females, per 100,000 population in England. The age-standardised incidence rates for other malignant cancers (excluding brain and non-melanoma skin cancer) were 385.7 in males and 326.0 in females, per 100,000 population in England.
	Cancer incidence figures for the postcode sector ST3 can not be provided because of the risk to patient confidentially. The smallest areas for which cancer incidence figures are provided is primary care trusts. However, figures for brain cancer are not routinely available at this geographic level.
	Rates of first diagnosis of Parkinsons disease in the fourth national study of Morbidity Statistics from General Practice, which covered England and Wales, were 36 per 100,000 population. Figures are not available from this study for smaller areas.
	There is no information available centrally on the incidence of other diseases of the nervous system.

Road Pricing

Tom Brake: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  if he will make a statement on his policy on lorry road user charging;
	(2)  if he will make a statement on the progress of the lorry road user charging scheme; and what the timetable is for the implementation of the scheme.

John Healey: Our work on the LRUC has strengthened the Government's view that distance-based charging for using the UK's roads is technically achievable. In particular, our "proof of solution" work with prospective suppliers has enabled us to see the technology in action, and is confirming our expectations of its ability to deliver a distance-based charge.
	Now that we are taking forward work on a national system of road pricing, so it is right for us to take forward the plans for distance based lorry charging as part of the wider work on national road pricing—to work for a single comprehensive, cost-effective system.
	So although the current procurement for lorry road user charging will not continue, we will continue to work with industry and ensure that we carry the full experience gained from the project into the wider work to develop a national road pricing system for cars and lorries.
	And we will continue to work with the haulage industry to ensure that its needs are represented as we develop a national road pricing system.

Tax Credits/Models

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to contact recipients of tax credits who have had overpayments recovered prior to June to notify them of the rights of appeal under Code of Practice 26; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: Where a claimant's tax credit award is revised, following a change of circumstances, they are sent a revised award notice. Where entitlement has been reduced, the guidance notes sent out at the same time as the award notice, bring to the attention of the claimant HMRC's Code of Practice COP 26 "What happens if we have paid you too much tax credit?'.

Economic Partnership Agreements

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will seek to strengthen the European Commission's negotiating mandate on Economic Partnership Agreements as part of the UK presidency of the EU to ensure that countries are not subject to forced liberalisation of trade.

Ian Pearson: The Government do not believe that any changes to the European Commission's negotiating mandate are required. The Government stated in their EPA position paper published in March that
	"we will not force trade liberalisation on developing countries either through trade negotiations or aid conditionally"
	and we will continue to work closely with the Commission and other member states to realise this.

Employment Agency Standards Inspectorate

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list (a) the budget and (b) staffing levels of the Employment Agency Standards Inspectorate for the (i) 2002–03, (ii) 2003–04 and (iii) 2004–05 financial years.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The budget expenditure and staffing complement of the Employment Agency Standards (EAS) Inspectorate for the financial years 2002–03, 2003–04 and 2004–05 are as follows:
	
		
			   £000 
			  (b) EAS Inspectorate (a) Budget expenditure 
		
		
			 (i) 2002–03 12 regionally based Inspectors  
			  3 Managers also with inspection powers 659,000 
			  5 Helpline staff (to receive complaints, advise and answer worker and agency questions)  
			
			 (ii) 2003–04 12 regionally based Inspectors  
			  3 Managers also with inspection powers 581,000 
			  4 Helpline staff (to receive complaints, advise and answer worker and agency questions)  
			
			 (iii) 2004–05 12 regionally based Inspectors  
			  3 Managers also with inspection powers 566,000 
			  4 Helpline staff (to receive complaints, advise and answer worker and agency questions)

Energy Strategy

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the aims and objectives of the Government's energy policy are.

Malcolm Wicks: holding answer 4 July 2005
	The aims and objectives of energy policy were set out in the Government's Energy White Paper, "Our Energy Future—creating a low carbon economy" in 2003. In particular, it set out the four goals of energy policy:
	To put ourselves on a path to cut the UK's carbon dioxide emissions by some 60 per cent. by about 2050, with real progress by 2020;
	To maintain the reliability of energy supplies;
	To promote competitive markets in the UK and beyond, helping to raise the rate of sustainable economic growth and to improve our productivity;
	To ensure that every home is adequately and affordably heated.

Cycling

Jeremy Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what measures the Government are taking to encourage cycling.

Derek Twigg: The Walking and Cycling Action Plan published in June 2004 detailed more than over 40 initiatives from across Government to encourage walking and cycling through provision of improved facilities, training and promotion. The main DfT initiatives on cycling include:
	1. £10 million investment in a "Links to Schools" programme of new routes from schools and residential areas to the National Cycle Network benefiting over 300 schools.
	2. Funding for improved bike parking at over 130 rail stations previously identified in a survey as not having capacity to meet demand.
	3. The development and roll-out of a new National Standard for child cycle training in co-operation with 20 road safety and cycling groups.
	4. Improved training and technical guidance to local authority and other practitioners on the design of cycling infrastructure.
	Local spend on cycle facilities through the Local Transport Plan system has increased from £29.5 million in 2001–02 to a projected £46 million in 2005–06, while Transport for London is projecting a spend of £19 million on cycling in London in 2005–06.
	We also created in March this year a new body, "Cycling England", to plan and co-ordinate the development of cycling across the country. Cycling England will have a budget of at least £5 million a year for the next three years to allocate to cycling programmes. I expect its work plan to be published soon.

Railways

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the results of the (a) autumn 2004 and (b) autumn 2003 count were showing what the (i) passenger in excess of capacity and (ii) total number of passengers figures were (A) for each train operator providing commuter services into London and (B) in total, broken down into am peak and pm peak and (iii) the change between years.

Derek Twigg: The Strategic Rail Authority publishes the results of the autumn Passengers in Excess of Capacity counts for individual London train operators, in its National Rail Trends Yearbook. A copy of this document has been placed in the Library of the House.

Railways

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 28 June 2005, Official Report, column 1418W, on railways, if he will take steps to change the limits prescribed to control overcrowding to increase passenger capacity for those travelling for over 40 minutes on the c2c line.

Derek Twigg: The limits are the "Passengers in Excess of Capacity" (PiXC) limits and there are currently no plans to change them.

Welsh Assembly Electoral System

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the Government's plans to amend the electoral system for the Welsh Assembly to party list candidates also running for constituency seats.

Peter Hain: I made an oral statement on 15 June 2005, Official Report, column 263, on the White Paper "Better Governance for Wales"

Affordable Homes

Vincent Cable: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many of the new homes to be built under the first-time buyers initiative he expects will be available at a price of £60,000.

Yvette Cooper: The first-time buyers initiative is a proposal being developed by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and English Partnership with the aim of providing 15,000 affordable homes by 2010 across England on a shared equity basis. It is one element in our package of proposals for increasing access to low cost home ownership as set out in our consultation paper "Homebuy—expanding the opportunity to own" published in April 2005. Half of the homes provided will be for key workers and the other half will be for individuals and families who would not be in a position to own their own homes without help. English Partnerships is now developing a delivery plan for the initiative.
	The Design for Manufacture Competition was announced on 26 September 2004 by my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister and launched formally on 1 April 2005 to show how it is possible to build a high-quality home for £60,000. The figure of £60,000 relates to a target construction cost for building a two bedroom home and does not reflect the development cost or sale price.
	English Partnerships is running the Design for Manufacture competition on behalf of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. The development sites for successful bidders will be provided by English Partnerships and other public bodies. English Partnerships anticipate that construction of homes will start in early 2006 with some completions by the end of 2006. The competition will aim to provide 1,000 homes all to eco-homes very good standard and will include a mix of housing types and tenures as defined by site specific design briefs. We anticipate that about 30 per cent. of the homes built will contribute to the first-time buyers initiative.

Affordable Homes

Vincent Cable: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what additional funding he is making available in (a) 2006–07 and (b) 2007–08 to support (i) the social homebuy scheme, (ii) new build homebuy, (iii) open market homebuy, (iv) joint equity loans with mortgage lenders scheme and (v) the first-time buyers initiative.

Yvette Cooper: The proposals on which we are currently consulting—"Homebuy—expanding the opportunity to own" (April 2005) seek to provide simpler, fairer home ownership opportunities for more people, while protecting the supply of social housing. The consultation period closes on 24 June.
	Resources will be found from within existing Spending Review 2004 budgets in order to fund the outcome of the consultation.
	We announced in March the split between Regional Housing Boards of the £5 billion available over the two years 2006–07 and 2007–08. We are due to receive updated Regional Housing Strategies and advice on regional housing investment priorities including funding for low cost home ownership by the end of June.

Freedom of Information

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many freedom of information requests his Department has received since the introduction of the Freedom of Information Act 2000; and how many have been refused.

Jim Fitzpatrick: I refer the hon. Member to the Department for Constitutional Affairs' publication "Freedom of Information Act 2000—Statistics on Implementation in Central Government Q1: January-March 2005", which was published, and copies of which were placed in the Libraries of both Houses, on 23 June 2005. The information requested can be found in table 3 of the Report.
	DCA will be publishing figures for Government Departments' performance under Freedom of Information, including volumes of requests handled by Departments and outcomes of requests, on an ongoing quarterly basis.

Homelessness

Sarah Teather: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will take steps to enable local authorities to discharge their duty to statutorily homeless households by providing an assured shorthold tenancy in the private rented sector.

Yvette Cooper: Local housing authorities can already discharge a duty to secure accommodation for a homeless household by arranging the provision of an assured shorthold tenancy in the private sector. The provision of such a tenancy can be used to provide temporary accommodation, pending the availability of settled accommodation. Moreover, where a main homelessness duty is owed to an applicant under section 193(2) of the Housing Act 1996, the offer of an assured shorthold tenancy will bring this duty to an end (as settled accommodation) if the offer is a qualifying offer and the applicant accepts the offer.
	In March this year, we published "Sustainable Communities: settled homes; changing Lives", a strategy for tackling homelessness. This document set out our proposal to examine the options for making greater use of the private sector as a source of settled solutions for households accepted as homeless.

Homelessness

Sarah Teather: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what changes he plans to the definition of homelessness; and if he will make a statement.

Yvette Cooper: There are currently no plans to change the statutory definition of homelessness, provided in section 175 of the Housing Act 1996.
	The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is currently carrying out a review of homelessness statistics that it collects from local authorities, as announced in "Sustainable Communities: Homes for All. A Five Year Plan from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister". This has included revising the layout of the quarterly statistical release to more clearly present the information collected on statutory homelessness. The first revised release was published on 13 June, containing statistics for the first quarter of 2005.

Homelessness

Sarah Teather: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much funding each local authority in London has received from the homelessness directorate in each of the last five years to support local homelessness strategies.

Yvette Cooper: The following table indicates the amount of homelessness funding allocated to each local authority in London since 2002–03.
	
		
			  Homelessness grant paid Homelessness grant allocations 
			  for 2002–03 for 2003–04 for 2004–05 2005–06 
		
		
			 Barking and Dagenham 37,936 68,000 28,000 28,000 
			 Barnet 420,000 416,787 165,000 160,000 
			 Bexley 119,591 130,800 58,000 58,000 
			 Brent 1,969,910 1,423,000 783,000 740,000 
			 Bromley 242,000 183,500 100,000 100,000 
			 Camden 1,004,100 1,834,192 1,808,000 1,700,000 
			 City of London 18,000 656,000 515,000 265,000 
			 Croydon Council 1,596,495 1,104,000 600,000 500,000 
			 Ealing 1,535,156 1,224,608 600,000 600,000 
			 Enfield 588,676 491,376 250,000 250,000 
			 Greenwich 63,000 113,000 100,000 63,000 
			 Hackney 289,800 646,000 690,000 550,000 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 1,815,500 1,300,500 1,970,000 2,360,000 
			 Haringey 421,061 491,000 200,000 200,000 
			 Harrow 191,000 181,001 183,000 190,000 
			 Havering  26,966 27,000 27,000 
			 Hillingdon 920,226 779,712 80,000 80,000 
			 Hounslow 494,361 459,000 180,000 165,000 
			 Islington 306,000 162,091 357,000 325,000 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 1,252,118 1,565,511 943,000 875,000 
			 Kingston upon Thames 151,000 121,000 90,000 90,000 
			 Lambeth 1,082,631 1,119,293 2,100,000 2,000,000 
			 Lewisham 79,000 102,395 400,000 100,000 
			 Merton 116,500 75,000 80,000 80,000 
			 Newham 1,803,220 1,257,000 250,000 212,000 
			 Redbridge 458,245 292,000 105,000 100,000 
			 Richmond 116,365 386,576 295,000 295,000 
			 Southwark 518,040 996,508 1,453,000 1,050,000 
			 Sutton 240,222 192,999 150,000 115,000 
			 Tower Hamlets 1,173,800 838,950 800,000 1,735,000 
			 Waltham Forest 825,723 383,000 200,000 200,000 
			 Wandsworth 628,527 546,000 300,000 250,000 
			 Westminster 2,902,500 4,434,374 16,846,000 7,260,000 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. The allocation of homelessness grants to local authorities began in 2002–03, before this grants had been provided to voluntary sector agencies only.
	2. The figures for 2002–03 and 2003–04 reflect actual grant payments made, those for 2004–05 and 2005–06 are the allocations.
	3. The allocations for 2004–05 include capital grants.
	4. The allocations for 2005–06 include capital grants where these have been agreed, further capital grants may be allocated during the year as part of the hostels capital.

Houses in Multiple Occupation

Sarah Teather: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister 
	(1)  whether the timetable for publication of the final Code of Guidance on minimum standards in temporary accommodation has changed; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what the final date was for submissions to the consultation on the Code of Guidance on minimum standards in temporary accommodation;
	(3)  when he plans to publish the statutory Code of Guidance on standards in temporary accommodation for homeless households.

Yvette Cooper: In May 2003 the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister published a consultation paper on "Improving standards of accommodation for homeless households placed in temporary accommodation." The consultation period ended on 5 August 2003. In November 2003 we announced the outcome of the consultation and our intention to revise the statutory Homelessness Code of Guidance for Local Authorities to restate existing minimum standards for temporary accommodation and set out additional standards for bed and breakfast hotels used as temporary accommodation. We plan to publish the revised Homelessness Code of Guidance in the autumn.

Houses in Multiple Occupation

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what estimate his Department made for regulatory impact assessment purposes of the amount which would be raised by houses in multiple occupation licensing fees; what his Department's latest estimate is of that figure; and how each figure was calculated.

Yvette Cooper: The Regulatory Impact Assessment indicated that around 540,000 units would be licensable under mandatory houses in multiple occupation (HMO) licensing and the consultation paper "Licensing in the Private Rented Sector: Consultation on the Implementation of HMO Licensing" had suggested that fee levels might be between £110 and £180 per unit but that the issue was still under consideration.
	These estimates were compiled following consultation with local government, taking into account a range of factors including experience in registering HMO's under the Housing Act 1985, as amended by the Housing Act 1996.

Housing

Lynne Jones: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many (a) permanent tenancy and (b) introductory tenancy homes have been allocated to new tenants by (i) Birmingham city council and (ii) registered social landlords in Birmingham; and how many were allocated to households accepted as homeless and in (A) priority need and (B) non-priority need in each of the last 10 years.

Yvette Cooper: Information on the number of lettings to new tenants made by Birmingham city council on a (a) secure (permanent) and (b) introductory basis and the number of these lettings made to homeless households in priority need are given in table 1. Although local authorities have a discretionary housing duty to homeless households not in priority need information on these lettings is not held centrally.
	Information on the number of lettings to new tenants made by registered social landlords (RSLs) in the Birmingham city council area; on a (a) secure (permanent) and (b) introductory basis and the number of these lettings made to homeless households both in priority need and not in priority need are given in table 2.
	
		Table 1: Lettings made by Birmingham city council to new tenants
		
			Of which: 
			  Total To homeless households in priority need 
			  Secure Introductory Secure Introductory 
		
		
			 1995–96 9,251 — 3,553 — 
			 1996–97 9,361 0 3,258 0 
			 1997–98 9,329 0 4,450 0 
			 1998–99 8,737 0 3,294 0 
			 1999–2000 2,426 5,456 1,252 1,842 
			 2000–01 0 7,729 0 3,297 
			 2001–02 0 5,567 0 3,329 
			 2002–03 0 5,383 0 3,702 
			 2003–04 0 4,652 0 3,385 
			 2004–05 (17)— (17)— (17)— (17)— 
		
	
	(17) Data not yet available
	Note:
	Introductory tenancies were established in late 1996–97, and usually lead to a secure tenancy after a trial period.
	Source:
	ODPM's Housing Strategy Statistical Appendix returns
	
		Table 2: Lettings to new tenants made by registered social landlords in the Birmingham city council area
		
			Of which:  
			To homeless households 
			  Total In priority need Not in priority need 
			  Permanent Starter Permanent Starter Permanent Starter 
		
		
			 1995–96 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 1996–97 3,725 0 508 0 159 0 
			 1997–98 4,133 0 291 0 220 0 
			 1998–99 4,148 0 340 0 122 0 
			 1999–2000 4,032 0 250 0 81 0 
			 2000–01 3,844 33 183 2 90 0 
			 2001–02 3,818 42 284 l 73 1 
			 2002–03 3,656 122 275 12 98 6 
			 2003–04 2,999 240 251 11 117 5 
			 2004–05 (18)— (18)— (18)— (18)— (18)— (18)— 
		
	
	(18) Data not yet available
	Notes:
	1. Permanent tenancies have been defined as "Fair rent or secure", "Assured" and "Assured shorthold"
	2. In priority need are those homeless households owed a main duty and nominated by a local authority
	3. Not in priority need are those homeless households not owed a main duty but nominated by a local authority
	Source:
	Housing Corporation's CORE returns

Housing Corporation Approved Development Programme

Dari Taylor: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many affordable housing units built or procured through (a) the Housing Corporation Approved Development programme and (b) the Challenge Fund were (i) mixed funded social rented housing, (ii) temporary social rented housing, (iii) homebuy general market purchase, (iv) homebuy general new build, (v) mixed funded low cost home ownership for sale, (vi) miscellaneous works to registered social landlord (RSL) stock, (vii) reimprovements to rented RSL stock, (viii) works only rehabilitation of rented RSL stock, (ix) works only rehabilitation of RSL stock for sale, (x) intermediate rent for key workers, (xi) homebuy market purchase for key workers, (xii) homebuy new build for key workers, (xiii) mixed funded sale for key workers and (xiv) starter home initiative in the north-east region in each year since 1997–98; and how much was spent on each category in each year.

Yvette Cooper: The following tables show completions and expenditure through the Housing Corporation Approved Development Programme (ADP), for categories from (i) to (ix). The information in the tables does not include all programmes that the ADP is used for and therefore does not represent the total funding for the north-east region.
	The Starter Home Initiative, the Challenge Fund and the Key Worker Living programme were limited to London and the wider south-east, therefore there are no completions or investment for these initiatives in the north-east region.
	Funding and completions are not directly comparable, as funding will relate to projects running, not necessarily units completed, in any one year.
	
		Completions in units for the north-east region from 1997–98 to 2004–05 Units completed
		
			  1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 
		
		
			 (i) Mixed funded Social Rent 1,215 965 758 540 680 355 583 612 
			 (ii) Temporary Social Rented Housing 39 9 2 10 0 0 0 0 
			 (iii) Homebuy market purchase 0 0 0 18 11 8 3 3 
			 (iv) Homebuy New Build n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 0 
			 (v) Mixed-funded Low Cost Home Ownership 164 130 87 93 110 6 21 88 
			 (vi) Miscellaneous Works n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 (vii) Re-improvements to rented RSL stock n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 (viii) Works-only re-hab for rented RSL stock n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 (ix) Works only re-hab of RSL stock for sale n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
		
	
	Note:
	Miscellaneous works, re-improvements to rented RSL stock, works only rehabilitation of rented RSL stock and works only rehabilitation of RSL stock for sale are not recorded as completed dwellings as they may have previously received funding and would therefore be double counted.
	
		Expenditure for the north-east region from 1997–98 to 2004–05 £ million
		
			  1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 
		
		
			 (i) Mixed funded Social Rent 17.08 15.55 15.72 16.14 18.65 19.60 34.94 35.37 
			 (ii) Temporary Social Housing 0.20 0.08 0.89 0.07 0.02 0.00 0.00 0.00 
			 (iii) Homebuy market purchase 0.00 0.00 0.10 0.24 0.13 0.12 0.52 0.74 
			 (iv) Homebuy New Build n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 0.00 
			 (v) Mixed-funded Low Cost Home Ownership 2.03 1.69 1.27 1.07 0.83 0.32 1.47 1.16 
			 (vi) Miscellaneous Works 0.82 0.63 0.48 1.22 1.50 1.43 1.28 0.17 
			 (vii) Re-improvements to rented RSL stock 0.00 0.00 0.51 0.63 0.87 0.42 2.93 2.79 
			 (viii) Works-only re-hab for rented RSL stock 0.50 0.26 0.04 0.49 0.33 0.00 0.00 0.00 
			 (ix) Works only re-hab of RSL stock for sale 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 
		
	
	Source:
	Housing Corporation

Local Government Finance

Sarah Teather: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the level of cash reserves is in each London borough.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The level of cash backed reserves split by revenue reserves and accumulated capital receipts in each London borough at 1 April 2005 is shown in the following table.
	
		Level of cash backed reserves split by revenue reserves and accumulated capital receipts in each London borough at1 April 2005 £000
		
			  Revenue reserves Accumulated capital receipts Total 
		
		
			 Barking and Dagenham 40,390 98,752 139,142 
			 Barnet 16,525 0 16,525 
			 Bexley 40,979 1,895 42,874 
			 Brent 12,637 0 12,637 
			 Bromley 62,016 2,890 64,906 
			 Camden 83,196 0 83,196 
			 City of London 125,369 59,460 184,829 
			 Croydon 14,370 7,700 22,070 
			 Ealing 15,129 0 15,129 
			 Enfield 40,868 22,493 63,361 
			 Greenwich 66,018 3,586 69,604 
			 Hackney 71,587 33,220 104,807 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 46,803 2,959 49,762 
			 Haringey 59,608 6,234 65,842 
			 Harrow 17,703 0 17,703 
			 Havering 23,277 35,879 59,156 
			 Hillingdon 15,993 10,265 26,258 
			 Hounslow 13,489 3,272 16,761 
			 Islington 48,385 28,836 77,221 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 113,858 182 114,040 
			 Kingston upon Thames 14,762 1,533 16,295 
			 Lambeth 28,846 0 28,846 
			 Lewisham 45,013 6,121 51,134 
			 Merton 10,039 0 10,039 
			 Newham 39,452 0 39,452 
			 Redbridge 25,268 8,921 34,189 
			 Richmond upon Thames 37,082 11,286 48,368 
			 Southwark 34,275 44,522 78,797 
			 Sutton 17,926 0 17,926 
			 Tower Hamlets 76,000 9,000 85,000 
			 Waltham Forest 28,628 7,040 35,668 
			 Wandsworth 26,398 0 26,398 
			 Westminster 41,297 172 41,469 
		
	
	Sources:
	ODPM Revenue Account (RA) Budget returns 2005–06
	ODPM Capital Estimates Return (CER) 2005–06

Tenants' Rights

Keith Vaz: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans he has to promote methods for tenants to obtain equity stakes in their homes.

Yvette Cooper: We have set out proposals for a social homebuy scheme, which would provide new opportunities for social tenants to buy a share of their rented home, in our consultation document "Homebuy—Expanding the Opportunity to Own" (a copy of which is available from the Library of the House).
	Under our proposals, participating social tenants would buy at least 50 per cent. (or as large a share as they could afford) of their home's discounted value using any savings they have and/or a mortgage. We are consulting on two options for applying a monthly charge, similar to social rent, on the outstanding share: under one, this rent would apply to the entire outstanding share; under the other, this rent would only apply to outstanding shares worth more than 25 per cent. of the equity.
	Consultation will close on 24 June. We intend to announce decisions in the autumn after considering responses, and to put new arrangements in place by April 2006.

European Constitution

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list those countries that have declared that they will continue the ratification process for the EU constitution.

Douglas Alexander: Belgium, Luxembourg, Malta, Cyprus, Estonia and the Czech Republic intend to proceed with their ratification processes for the EU constitutional treaty. The Irish Government have announced that they will not set a date for their referendum. Poland have not decided how, if at all, to proceed with ratification and the Polish President has said that a referendum in 2005 looks "unrealistic". The Swedish Government have announced that it will seek to postpone its parliamentary ratification process and the Finnish Government have already postponed parliamentary ratification. The Danish and Portuguese Governments have postponed their referendums.

European Constitution

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the consequences under Article IV-443(4) of the proposed EU constitution of 20 countries ratifying the constitution.

Douglas Alexander: The operation of the article in question is explained in the commentary on the EU constitutional treaty published on 26 January (Cm 6459).

Iran

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects the UK, France and Germany to re-start negotiations with Iran on its use of nuclear technology.

Kim Howells: Discussions continue between Iran and the UK, France and Germany (the "E3"), supported by the EU high representative, under the framework agreed in Paris in November 2004. The E3 have agreed to present further ideas, including on long-term arrangements for Iran's nuclear programme, at the end of July or the beginning of August. Officials are currently working on these ideas. Long-term arrangements must provide objective guarantees that Iran's nuclear programme is exclusively for peaceful purposes.

Iran

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to improve relations with Iran.

Kim Howells: Through a bilateral policy of critical engagement, the UK, France and Germany (the "E3') negotiation and the EU's dialogue with Iran, the Government seek to encourage Iran to address policies of concern, particularly regarding its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes; its approach to terrorism and opposition to the Middle East Peace Process; and its respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. Our engagement is conditional. Progress in these areas will open up new opportunities for Iran. But we and the EU have made clear that relations with Iran can move forward only if Iran takes action to address our political concerns.

Lithuania

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what ministerial visits to Lithuania (a) have taken place in the past 12 months and (b) are planned for the next 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

Douglas Alexander: There have been five ministerial visits to Lithuania over the last year. My hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, (Mr. Sutcliffe) lobbied on the Working Time Directive in June 2004, the former hon. Member for Hove (Ivor Caplin), the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at Ministry of Defence visited in January, my right hon. and noble Friend the former Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean) attended a NATO ministerial meeting in April (there was no bilateral programme) and my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, (Mr. Bradshaw) was in Lithuania recently (13–14 June) as part of a pre-Presidency tour. I visited Lithuania on 27 June, and held talks with the President, Prime Minister and Foreign Minister.
	My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary had planned to visit all the Baltic States in 2004, but parliamentary business intervened and the visit was postponed. It is not our practice to announce visits until they are firm. Because of the unpredictable nature of world events, final decisions on overseas visits are often not possible until very shortly before the day of travel.
	The Foreign Secretary and most UK Ministers meet with their Lithuanian and other EU colleagues in the course of regular EU business.

Nepal

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what system is in place to check the end-use control of items of military assistance that have been gifted to Nepal as non-lethal.

Kim Howells: All of the military equipment the UK has gifted to Nepal since 2001 as part of our conflict prevention strategy has been non-lethal and cannot easily be adapted for offensive purposes. The main items of hardware have been two transport helicopters and two unarmed Short Take-Off and Landing (STOL) surveillance aircraft. We have also provided land rovers, bomb disposal equipment and basic individual equipment.
	Both the helicopters and the STOL aircraft were provided on the basis of a Memorandum of Understanding between the UK and the Government of Nepal, under which the Nepalese have committed themselves not to use or adapt the aircraft for attack purposes. The Defence Attaché at the British Embassy in Kathmandu and his staff make regular random visits to inspect the helicopters, only one of which survives owing to accident, and the STOL aircraft to ensure that they have not been fitted with offensive capabilities. In the case of the STOL aircraft such fixtures would involve considerable structural alteration. We have seen no evidence to suggest that these aircraft have been armed or used improperly. Periodically we remind the Nepalese of their obligations as set out in the Memorandum of Understanding governing the use of this equipment.

Visas

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many applications for visitors visas were (a) received and (b) refused in each of the last five years in (i) Nigeria, (ii) Guyana, (iii) Pakistan, (iv) China and (v) India; and what proportion of those granted were granted at Tier One.

Kim Howells: The information on applications for visitors visas for the countries and categories required, is as follows:
	
		Visit visa applications (VVA) received
		
			  1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 
		
		
			 Nigeria 70,557 77,818 99,449 134,793 107,911 
			 Guyana 1,448 1,659 1,841 1,961 1,342 
			 Pakistan 70,262 82,099 100,106 53,665 83,566 
			 China 47,231 48,673 60,021 76,232 77,765 
			 India 170,051 154,081 160,612 176,364 232,519 
		
	
	
		VVA refused
		
			  1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 
		
		
			 Nigeria 9,669 9,145 14,665 30,905 33,189 
			 Guyana 197 141 168 239 303 
			 Pakistan 12,571 13,770 23,382 6,124 9,032 
			 China 3,690 1,626 1,867 4,425 6,226 
			 India 17,069 18,284 19,496 27,373 36,631 
		
	
	
		Percentage Tier One non-settlement applications
		
			  1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 
		
		
			 Nigeria 93 90 94 90 91 
			 Guyana 100 100 100 100 100 
			 Pakistan 81 87 100 82 96 
			 China 86 90 246 78 82 
			 India 98 98 98 99 100 
		
	
	Statistics for the proportion of visitor visas granted at Tier One, applications where decisions are made without the need for an interview, are not available. The figures provided represent the percentage of non-settlement visa applications, which include visit visas, that were dealt with at Tier One within 24-hours.

Fast Response Team (DOE)

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will establish a fast response team within the Department of the Environment (a) at weekends and (b) during public holidays to prevent (i) the felling of trees and (ii) the demolition of historic buildings prior to a tree preservation order or listing.

Angela Smith: The planning service already has local contact and response arrangements in place at divisional offices and the infrequency of such incidents would not justify the establishment of fast response teams. There would also be legal and financial implications to consider.
	It is felt that a better use of scarce resources would be to re-examine current arrangements with a view to improving response times should such incidents occur.

Abortions

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health under which section of the Abortion Act 1967 the termination of pregnancy was performed for each of the maternal deaths associated with termination of pregnancy for the period 1981 to 1999; at what stage of gestation the pregnancy was in each case; and what the age of the mother was.

Caroline Flint: The following information has been taken from the relevant published triennial report on confidential inquiries into maternal deaths in the United Kingdom. This is the only information available as, after preparation of the report and before publication, all the maternal deaths report forms and related documents and files are destroyed. Between 1981 and 1999, there were 24 maternal deaths associated with termination of pregnancy.
	Grounds for the abortion were only stated in the reports for one case, which said,
	"fetal abnormalities incompatible with life."
	The available information for gestation and age is shown in the following tables.
	
		
			 Gestation (weeks) Number of cases 
		
		
			 Under 10 6 
			 10 to 12 5 
			 13 to 19 8 
			 20 plus 1 
			 "Early pregnancy" 1 
			 "Mid trimester" 3 
		
	
	
		
			 Age (years) Number of cases 
		
		
			 16 1 
			 "20s" 3 
			 "30s" 4 
			 "Young woman" 6 
			 Not stated 3 
			 "Less than 35" 4 
			 "More than 35" 3

Adult Social Care

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to produce a White Paper on adult social care; and if she will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: The Green Paper, "Independence, Well-being and Choice: our vision for the future of social care for adults in England", was published for consultation on 21 March 2005. The consultation period closes on 28 July 2005. We will need to take account of the responses we have received from the public before making any decisions about next steps.

Care Homes

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average cost per week is in of a care home bed in (a) Lancashire and (b) Chorley; and what the waiting time for a care bed is in (i) Chorley and (ii) Lancashire.

Liam Byrne: Information is not held centrally on the average cost per week of care homes in Lancashire and Chorley.
	Data on waiting times for care beds are not collected centrally. However, a list of residential vacancies at Lancashire County Council Quality Accredited Homes is distributed to the area social work teams on a weekly basis.

Carer Assessments

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many carer assessments and reviews made under the Carers and Disabled Children Act 2000 were undertaken in each year since 2000, in each London borough.

Liam Byrne: Information on the number of carer assessments carried out, separately or jointly with the client, for the years 2000–01 to 2003–04 is shown in the table.
	
		Number of carer assessments by councils with social services responsibilities in London—2000–01 to 2003–04 Rounded number
		
			 Councils with social services responsibilities 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04(21) 
		
		
			 London(22) 17,790 21,230 34,910 40,080 
			 Inner London 
			 Camden 520 1,330 1,110 1,040 
			 Greenwich 320 350 150 260 
			 Hackney 130 350 380 900 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 590 700 700 1,560 
			 Islington 570 470 (23)— 60 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 150 300 680 780 
			 Lambeth 210 400 300 850 
			 Lewisham 200 1,150 2,050 1,870 
			 Southwark 1,350 1,110 960 1,540 
			 Tower Hamlets 620 320 150 2,190 
			 Wandsworth 370 280 730 230 
			 Westminster 1,060 840 1,140 1,520 
			 City of London 10 30 40 40 
			  
			 Outer London 
			 Barking and Dagenham 800 780 1,350 620 
			 Barnet 1,760 1,730 3,050 700 
			 Bexley 450 750 970 1,250 
			 Brent 390 360 2,980 2,800 
			 Bromley 500 410 (23)— 2,080 
			 Croydon 2,100 1,730 1,980 2,450 
			 Ealing 190 90 180 170 
			 Enfield 30 50 340 2,210 
			 Haringey 40 270 330 1,250 
			 Harrow 1,590 480 550 1,540 
			 Havering 550 (23)— 1,810 1,800 
			 Hillingdon 330 810 (23)— (23)— 
			 Hounslow 780 590 490 1,080 
			 Kingston-upon-Thames 190 260 400 (23)— 
			 Merton 280 290 330 840 
			 Newham 210 110 280 380 
			 Redbridge 900 1,930 1,900 1,940 
			 Richmond upon Thames 10 210 1,490 1,830 
			 Sutton 320 260 320 930 
			 Waltham Forest 300 480 1,570 700 
		
	
	(21) The carers return was redefined in 2003–04 to include carers assessed or reviewed. Data for previous years refers to assessments only. It is important to note this change when interpreting the data.
	(22) Totals includes estimates for missing data.
	(23) Missing data
	Note:
	Figures may not add up due to rounding.
	Source:
	RAP proforma A4.

Foundation Trusts

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) governors and (b) public governors there are of each foundation hospital trust; and how many public governors of each trust declare in their personal manifesto a declaration of interest that they (i) have medical qualifications and (ii) have worked in health.

Liam Byrne: This is a matter for Monitor, the statutory name of which is the independent regulator of national health service foundation trusts. The Chairman will write to the hon. Member and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Library. Declarations of interests for governors are maintained by individual NHS foundation trusts and can be obtained by directly approaching them.

Foundation Trusts

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance she has issued to (a) foundation trusts and (b) Monitor on the funding trusts should make available (i) to encourage membership, recruitment and retention and (ii) to communicate with their electorates.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 30 June 2005
	Schedule one of the "Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Act 2003" sets out the minimum legislative requirements for the governance arrangements of national health service foundation trusts (NHSFTs). The Department provides a central programme of support to applicants preparing for foundation status, which includes guidance and direct financial assistance. Applicants are provided with guidance on developing governance arrangements, which gives information on the principles supporting the way NHSFTs are governed. This includes information on developing a representative membership base and communicating with the electorate.
	It is for the independent regulator of NHSFTs, Monitor to consider authorisation as an NHSFT. As part of its assessment process, Monitor considers the suitability of an applicant by considering its governance plans, including the membership strategy and steps taken to ensure a representative membership. Once authorised, it is the responsibility of Monitor to oversee the operation of an NHSFT and ensure it remains with the terms of authorisation and legislative framework.

General Social Care Council

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she expects to make an announcement concerning the next groups to be registered with the General Social Care Council.

Liam Byrne: The General Social Care Council is currently completing the task of registering all qualified social workers in England. In September, the register will be extended to include social work students. During 2004, the Council carried out a widespread consultation about the order in which the remaining groups of social care staff should be brought into registration. I am considering that their report of the outcome of this consultation in the context of the continuing development of our social care policies following the publication of the social care Green Papers, "Independence, well-being and choice" and "Every Child Matters." I expect to announce my decision shortly.

Hepatitis C

Bob Laxton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the level of access to specialist assessment and treatment for people with hepatitis C infection.

Caroline Flint: In line with "Shifting the Balance of Power", decisions about the provision of accessible specialist assessment and treatment for people with hepatitis C infection through managed clinical networks, are for local determination. We understand that managed clinical networks have so far either been established or are being considered in London, South West peninsula, East Anglia, West Midlands, Trent, Liverpool and North East England.

Hospital Workers (Drug Dependency)

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research she has evaluated on drug dependency in hospital workers.

Liam Byrne: The Department's guidance, "Taking alcohol and other drugs out of the NHS workplace", was re-issued this year as part of the "Management of Health, Safety and Welfare Issues for NHS Staff" by NHS Employers, which provides support to employers. This guidance reflects good practice.

Influenza Pandemic

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what prioritisation system the Health Protection Agency has put in place for vaccinations in the event of an influenza pandemic.

Caroline Flint: The Government will make the decision for vaccination prioritisation based on advice from the joint committee on vaccination and immunisation (JCVI), an independent expert advisory committee, and the United Kingdom national influenza pandemic committee. The JCVI has provisionally advised the following order for vaccinating people:
	Healthcare workers most at risk.
	Essential service workers.
	Clinical "high-risk" groups.
	Closed communities such as nursing homes.
	General population.
	This list is contained in the UK pandemic influenza contingency plan.

Meat Inspectors

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many meat inspectors were in employment in each of the last three years for which figures are available; and what the establishment was for each year.

Caroline Flint: The table shows the numbers of staff employed as meat hygiene inspectors (MHIs) and senior MHIs in the Meat Hygiene Service in each of the last three years as at 1 April.
	
		
			  2003 2004 2005 
		
		
			 Meat hygiene inspectors 1,023 1,014 981 
			 Senior meat hygiene inspectors 159 151 137 
			 Total 1,182 1,165 1,118 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. MHI figures include a total of 25 full-time equivalent casual employees at April 2003 and 2004 and 30 in 2005, who work on an ad hoc basis.
	2. Senior MHIs include the old senior grades, the supernumerary senior grades and the enhanced senior grades.
	3. Also included are 65 full-time equivalent contract staff at April 2003, 43 at April 2004 and 42 at April 2005.
	The figures shown are actual numbers employed to meet fluctuating service requirements. There is no formal establishment figure and staff are recruited to address staff turnover and to meet additional service requirements where necessary.

Monsanto Maize

Alan Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 26 May 2005, Official Report, column 633W, on Monsanto's maize, what the effects were on rats fed on Monsanto's GM corn MON 863 in respect of (a) kidney size, (b) blood cell levels and (c) lymphocytes.

Caroline Flint: Monsanto conducted a standard 90-day feeding study in rats given diets containing 11 per cent. or 33 per cent. of MON 863 maize grain, or equivalent amounts of non-genetically modified (GM) maize grain. The results revealed a small difference in the parameters mentioned in the question between the animals fed the highest amount of MON 863 maize, compared with those in one given one of the diets containing non-GM maize. Such findings are not unusual in studies of this type, where several dozen parameters are being evaluated across a number of treatment groups and interpretation of the results requires expert analysis of the statistical basis for the apparent differences and their biological significance. These data have been analysed independently by expert groups in the United Kingdom and at the European Food Safety Authority, who have concluded that the results of the study are not indicative of adverse effects due to the consumption of MON 863 maize.

NHS Acute Hospital Trusts

Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether NHS acute hospital trusts can (a) close beds, (b) close wards and (c) withdraw services without her consent.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 27 June 2005
	Guidance on service change, "Keeping the NHS Local—A New Direction of Travel", was published on 14 February 2003. It sets out core principles for service change that the national health service must follow.

NHS Direct

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the 10 most common reasons for calls to NHS Direct were during the last 12 months for which information is available.

Liam Byrne: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Sutton and Cheam (Mr. Burstow) on 28 June 2005, Official Report, column 1521W.

Obesity

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate she has made of the numbers of obese (a) adults and (b) children in (i) East Yorkshire and (ii) England; and how these figures compare with levels of obesity in other developed countries.

Caroline Flint: holding answer 13 June 2005
	The prevention and management of obesity are at the heart of many of the Government's priority areas and the foundation for all future work to tackle obesity has been laid out in the White Paper, "Choosing Health".
	Information is not available in exactly the form requested. Figures from the Health Survey for England are shown in table 1.
	
		1: Obesity prevalence in England
		
			 Adults(25) classed as obese as a proportion of the total sample North and East Yorkshire and North East Lincolnshire strategic health authority England 
		
		
			 Men (percentage) 25.2 22.9 
			 Women (percentage) 27.1 23.4 
			
			 Number of adults surveyed 
			 Men 486 5,966 
			 Women 599 7,090 
		
	
	
		
			 Children(26) classed as obese as a proportion of the total sample Yorkshire and the Humber Government office region England 
		
		
			 Boys (percentage) 12.3 16.0 
			 Girls (percentage) 12.5 15.9 
			
			 Number of children surveyed 
			 Boys 516 5,442 
			 Girls 483 5,381 
		
	
	(25) Aged 16 and over with a body mass index (BMI) greater than 30.
	(26) Aged 2–15 with a valid BMI measurement. United Kingdom national BMI percentile classification used to classify obesity in children.
	Note:
	Figures for adults are weighted to reduce bias from non-response to the survey.
	Source:
	Health Survey for England 2000–02 and 2003
	Figures from other developed countries are shown in table 2.
	
		2: Obesity—percentage of adult population with a BMI greater than 30 kilogram/square metre
		
			  1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2001 2002 2003 
		
		
			 Australia — — 8.3 c 10.8-(27)c 21.7-(27)c 21.7-(28)c 21.7-(29)c — 
			 Austria — — — 8.5(27) 9.1-(27) 9.1-(28) 9.1–3 — 
			 Belgium — — — — 11.7 (27) 11.7 11.7-(27) 11.7-(28) 
			 Canada — — — — 14.1-(27) 13.9 b 13.9-(27)b 14.3 
			 Czech Republic — — — 11.2(29) 14.2-(27) 14.8(27) 14.8 14.8-(27) 
			 Denmark — — — 5.5-(29) 9.5 9.5-(27) 9.5-(28) 9.5-(29) 
			 Finland — — 7.4 8.4 11.2 11.4 11.8 12.8 
			 France — — — 5.8 9 9.0-(27) 9.4 9.4-(27) 
			 Germany — — — — 11.5-(27) 11.5-(28) 12.9 (27) 12.9 
			 Greece — — — — 21.9(29) 21.9(28) 21.9 (27) 21.9 
			 Hungary — — — — 18.2 18.2-(27) 18.8 (27) 18.8 
			 Iceland — — — 7.5 12.4 (28) 12.4 (27) 12.4 12.4-(27) 
			 Ireland — — — — 10.0-(28) 13.0(27) 13 13.0-(27) 
			 Italy — — — — 8.6 8.5 8.5 8.5-(27) 
			 Japan — — 2 2.3 2.9 3.2 3.6 3.2 
			 Korea — — — — 3.2 (27) 3.2 3.2-(27) 3.2-(28) 
			 Luxembourg — — — — 16.3 17.9 17.3 18.4 
			 Mexico — — — — 24.2 24.2(27) 24.2-(28) 24.2-(29) 
			 Netherlands — — 5.1(27) 6.1 9.4 9.3 10 10.0-(27) 
			 New Zealand — — — 11.1-(27) 17.0-(29) 20.9(28) 8.3 20.9 
			 Norway — — — — 6.4-(28) 8.3(27) 8.3 8.3-(27) 
			 Poland — — — — — — — — 
			 Portugal — — — — 12.8-(27) 12.8-(28) 12.8-(29) — 
			 Slovak Republic — — — 18.9(29) 16.2-(28) 22.4(27) 22.4 22.4-(27) 
			 Spain — — — 6.8-(29) 12.6(27) 12.6 12.6-(27) 13.1 
			 Sweden — — — 5.5-(27) 9.2 9.2 10.2 9.7 
			 Switzerland — — — 5.4(28) 7.7 (28) 7.7 (27) 7.7 7.7-(27) 
			 Turkey — — — — 12.0(29) 12.0(28) 12.0 (27) 12 
			 United Kingdom — — 7.0 c 14.0 (27)c 21.0 c 22.0 c 22.0 c 23.0 c 
			 United States — — 15.0-(28)c 23.3 (27)c 30.5 c 30.5-(27)c 30.6 c 30.6-(27)c 
		
	
	Notes:
	(a) -1, -2, -3, 1, 2, 3 shows that data refers to 1, 2 or 3 previous or following year(s).
	(b) Obesity rates are defined as the percentage of the population with a BMI over 30. The BMI is a single number that evaluates an individual's weight status in relation to height (weight/height(27) , with weight in kilograms and height in metres).
	(c) For Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States, figures are based on health examinations, rather than self-reported information. Obesity estimates derived from health examinations are generally higher and more reliable than those coming from self-reports, because they preclude any misreporting of people's height and weight. However, health examinations are only conducted regularly in a few countries.
	Note:
	Definitions, sources and methods per country are available at www.irdes.fr/ecosante/OCDE/814010.html
	Source:
	OECD Health data 2005, June 2005

Radiographers

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many radiographers have been employed in the NHS in each year since 1991.

Liam Byrne: The information requested is shown in the table.
	
		National health service hospital and community health services: radiography staff in England by area and level as at 30 September each specified year(30) Headcount
		
			  1991 1992 1993(30) 1994 1995 1996 1997 
		
		
			 England 10,945 11,372 n/a 11,945 12,844 12,882 13,108 
			 
			 Diagnostic Radiographers 9,702 10,105 n/a 10,622 11,524 11,525 11,646 
			 
			 Qualified 8,891 9,210 n/a 9,520 10,294 10,265 10,364 
			 Consultant Therapist/Scientist n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Manager n/a n/a n/a n/a 111 114 122 
			 Therapist n/a n/a n/a n/a 9,624 9,647 9,809 
			 Technician n/a n/a n/a n/a 481 487 416 
			 Tutor n/a n/a n/a n/a 78 17 17 
			 
			 Unqualified 811 895 n/a 1,102 1,230 1,260 1,282 
			 Assistant Practitioner n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Student/Trainee n/a n/a n/a n/a 91 47 41 
			 Helper/Assistant n/a n/a n/a n/a 1,139 1,213 1,241 
			 
			 Therapeutic Radiographers 1,243 1,267 n/a 1,323 1,320 1,357 1,462 
			 
			 Qualified 1,243 1,267 n/a 1,323 1,252 1,308 1,407 
			 Consultant Therapist/ Scientist n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Manager n/a n/a n/a n/a 10 13 11 
			 Therapist n/a n/a n/a n/a 1,242 1,295 1,396 
			 
			 Unqualified n/a n/a n/a n/a 68 49 55 
			 Assistant Practitioner n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Student/Trainee n/a n/a n/a n/a 18 0 0 
			 Helper/Assistant n/a n/a n/a n/a 50 49 55 
		
	
	
		Headcount
		
			  1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 
		
		
			 England 13,518 13,862 14,190 14,694 15,371 16,046 16,921 
			 
			 Diagnostic Radiographers 11,988 12,299 12,649 13,037 13,695 14,199 14,932 
			 Qualified 10,645 10,839 11,036 11,163 11,489 11,687 12,147 
			 Consultant Therapist/Scientist n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 0 4 
			 Manager 145 167 155 140 138 168 179 
			 Therapist 10,032 10,161 10,271 10,516 10,860 11,293 11,954 
			 Technician 452 494 595 495 481 214 0 
			 Tutor 16 17 15 12 10 12 10 
			 
			 Unqualified 1,343 1,460 1,613 1,874 2,206 2,512 2,785 
			 Assistant Practitioner n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 75 
			 Student/Trainee 33 21 19 18 31 78 80 
			 Helper/Assistant 1,310 1,439 1,594 1,856 2,175 2,434 2,630 
			 
			 Therapeutic Radiographers 1,530 1,563 1,541 1,657 1,676 1,847 1,989 
			 Qualified 1,473 1,491 1,453 1,543 1,542 1,657 1,753 
			 Consultant Therapist/ Scientist n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 0 1 
			 Manager 17 20 19 25 28 42 30 
			 Therapist 1,456 1,471 1,434 1,518 1,514 1,615 1,722 
			 
			 Unqualified 57 72 88 114 134 190 236 
			 Assistant Practitioner n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 13 
			 Student/Trainee 0 0 1 1 9 6 4 
			 Helper/Assistant 57 72 87 113 125 184 219 
		
	
	n/a = not applicable
	(30) Figures for 1993 are unavailable.
	Note:
	A new system of classification for the non-medical work force was introduced in 1995. Figures for 1991–94 are not directly comparable with later years.
	Source:
	Health and Social Care Information Centre Non-Medical Workforce Census

School Nurses

Janet Dean: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many school nurses are employed in (a) East Staffordshire, (b) Staffordshire and (c) England.

Liam Byrne: The number of school nurses in England, Shropshire and Staffordshire strategic health authority (SHA) and East Staffordshire primary care trust (PCT) is shown in the table.
	
		National health service hospital and community health services: Nurses working in school nursing in specified areas as at 30 September 2004 Headcount
		
			   Total school nursing workforce Qualified school nurses Qualified nurses working in school nursing Unqualified nurses working in school nursing 
		
		
			 England  2,749 856 1,553 340 
			   
			 Shropshire and Staffordshire SHA Q26 62 35 27 0 
			 Of which:  
			 East Staffordshire PCT 5ML 12 0 12 0 
		
	
	Source:
	NHS Health and Social Care Information Centre non-medical workforce census 2004.

Sexually-transmitted Diseases

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many new diagnoses of (a) syphilis, (b) gonorrhoea, (c) chlamydia, (d) herpes and (e) genital warts were recorded by the Health and Protection Agency in 2004 for (i) England and (ii) England and Wales.

Caroline Flint: The numbers of new diagnoses of syphilis, gonorrhoea, chlamydia, herpes and genital warts seen in genitor-urinary medicine clinics in England and Wales are published by the Health Protection Agency (HPA) in its report, "Diagnoses and rates of selected STIs seen at GUM clinics, United Kingdom: 2000–04," which is available on the HPA website at www.hpa.org.uk/infections/topics_az/hiv_and_sti/epidemiology/dataresource.htm

Sexually-transmitted Diseases

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what screening services are available for men with suspected Chlamydia infection; what plans she has to improve these services; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  what strategies her Department (a) has employed and (b) plans to combat chlamydia in men; and if she will make a statement;
	(3)  how many chlamydia infections in (a) men and (b) women were reported in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and if she will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: holding answer 20 June 2005
	For men who suspect that they have chlamydia, diagnoses and treatment are provided through genitor-urinary medicine (GUM) clinics. The public health White Paper, "Choosing Health—making healthy choices easier" published in November 2004 sets out a number of measures to improve access to, and modernise, GUM services. These measures are backed by £130 million additional revenue and capital investment over three years, and will support clinics in moving towards the target of maximum 48 hour waiting times for clinic appointments.
	In terms of detecting asymptomatic chlamydia infection, the Department's policy is to promote greater uptake of chlamydia testing and treatment through the national chlamydia screening programme. This opportunistic programme targets sexually active men and women under 25, who are most at risk of infection. We recognise that there are particular challenges in encouraging young men to access chlamydia screening as they do not attend health services as regularly as young women. We are, therefore, encouraging local programmes to evaluate which venues work best in terms of screening young men, for example colleges, workplaces and sports facilities.
	Young men and women are also targeted with information about chlamydia through our national sexual health media campaigns, including a major new campaign to be launched later this year, as announced in the White Paper.
	The White Paper, also included a commitment to accelerate the roll-out of the national chlamydia screening programme, with the goal of making this available across the country by March 2007, backed by investment of an extra £80 million to achieve this aim.
	The data requested is shown in the following table.
	
		Number of cases of genital Chlamydial infection diagnosed in genitourinary medicine clinics by sex in England: 1999–2003
		
			  Sex 
			  Male Female Total 
		
		
			 1999 21,808 29,196 51,004 
			 2000 26,632 34,815 61,447 
			 2001 29,604 38,652 68,256 
			 2002 34,509 43,980 78,489 
			 2003 37,913 47,250 85,163 
		
	
	Source:
	Health Protection Agency, KC60 Returns

Smoking

Louise Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what her assessment is of the extent of smoking-related illness in Liverpool.

Liam Byrne: The estimated percentages of deaths attributable to smoking in primary care trusts (PCTs) in Liverpool is shown in the table.
	
		Estimated percentage of deaths attributable to smoking in Liverpool PCTs
		
			  Smoking deaths as a percentage of all deaths 
			 PCT Males Females All persons 
		
		
			 Central Liverpool 22 11 16 
			 North Liverpool 21 11 16 
			 South Liverpool 24 14 19 
			 England 22 12 17 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. The "all persons" column represents the average for men and women.
	2. The smoking attributable percentage data for PCTs provides figures relating to the percentage of deaths over 35 years of age from diseases related to smoking that are smoking attributable. Figures are provided for males, females and persons. The percentages are based on the estimate of smoking attributable mortality across the five years from 1998 to 2002 and the observed deaths, from those over 35, for 1998 to 2002.
	3. The estimates of smoking attributable mortality as a percentage of all deaths are derived in the following way:
	a) For London PCTs, the percentages are based on the estimate of smoking attributable mortality across five years of data from 1998 to 2002 and the observed number of deaths from all causes, all ages across these same five years.
	b) For all other PCTs, the percentage is based on the annual average estimate of smoking attributable mortality across 1998 to 2002 and the observed number of deaths from all causes, all ages for 2002.The percentage is based on the annual average estimate of smoking attributable mortality across 1998–2002 and the observed number of deaths from all causes, all ages for 2002.
	Source:
	Data underlying the publication of The smoking epidemic in England, November 2004 —the Health Development Agency (HDA)—available on the HDA website at www.hda.nhs.uk/html/improving/smoking epidemic.html.

Smoking

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what funding the Government has provided for tobacco policy support to (a) local authorities, (b) Government Offices for the Regions and (c) regional chambers in each year since 1997.

Caroline Flint: The Government do not provide funding for tobacco policy support to local authorities or regional chambers.
	From 2003–04, amounts were allocated to each Government Office for the Region for tobacco control and funding of alliance work, which is shown in the following table.
	
		
			£ 
			 Region 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 
		
		
			 North East 194,000 194,000 194,000 
			 Yorkshire and Humber 218,000 218,000 218,000 
			 North West 242,000 242,000 242,000 
			 West Midlands 221,000 221,000 221,000 
			 East Midlands 206,000 206,000 206,000 
			 Eastern 217,000 217,000 217,000 
			 South East 241,000 241,000 241,000 
			 South West 214,000 214,000 214,000 
			 London 247,000 247,000 247,000 
			 Total 2,000,000 2,000,000 2,000,000 
		
	
	Note:
	The sums in the table are indicative. Regions have the discretion to vary spending within the allocation.

Speech Therapists

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many speech therapists there have been per 100,000 (a) adults and (b) children in each of the last 10 years.

Liam Byrne: The table shows the ratio of speech and language therapists per 100,000 population under 18 years old and over 18 in each year since 1995.
	The number of speech and language therapists per 100,000 population has increased from 8.96 in 1995 to 13.1 in 2004. 
	
		National health service hospital and community health services: qualified speech and language therapeutic staff in England as at 30 September each year—by headcount and per 100,000 people in England Headcount
		
			  1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 
		
		
			 Total Speech and Language Therapists 4,335 4,705 4,871 5,031 5,185 
			   
			 Estimated England population 48,383,500 48,519,100 48,664,800 48,820,600 49,032,900 
			 Estimated England population under 18 11,113,600 11,183,600 11,214,000 11,207,200 11,209,800 
			 Estimated England population 18 and over 37,269,900 37,335,500 37,450,800 37,613,300 37,823,100 
			   
			 Speech and Language Therapists per 100,000 people 8.96 9.70 10.01 10.31 10.57 
			   
			 Speech and Language Therapists per 100,000 people under 18 39.01 42.07 43.44 44.89 46.25 
			   
			 Speech and Language Therapists per 100,000 people 18 and over 11.63 12.60 13.01 13.38 13.71 
		
	
	
		Headcount
		
			  2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 
		
		
			 Total Speech and Language Therapists 5,430 5,685 5,960 6,243 6,556 
			   
			 Estimated England population 49,233,300 49,449,700 49,646,900 49,855,700 50,056,900 
			 Estimated England population under 18 11,177,100 11,145,800 11,117,900 11,082,200 n/a 
			 Estimated England population 18 and over 38,056,200 38,303,900 38,529,000 38,773,500 n/a 
			   
			 Speech and Language Therapists per 100,000 people 11.03 11.50 12.00 12.52 13.10 
			   
			 Speech and Language Therapists per 100,000 people under 18 48.58 51.01 53.61 56.33 n/a 
			   
			 Speech and Language Therapists per 100,000 people 18 and over 14.27 14.84 15.47 16.10 n/a 
		
	
	n/a = not available.
	Notes:
	1. Population figures are rounded to the nearest 100 and totals may not equal sum of component parts
	2. 2004 component data are not available
	Source:
	Health and Social Care Information Centre Non-Medical Workforce Census
	Office for National Statistics

Water Fluoridation

John Butterfill: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the report of the World Health Organisation in 2002 concerning the findings of the US National Toxicology Programme relating to rates of osteosarcoma among young males living in fluoridated areas.

Caroline Flint: We are aware that, on 6 June, a research organisation in the United States, the Environmental Working Group, published a press release asking the National Toxicology Program of the National Institutes of Health to list fluoride in tap water in its report on carcinogens, "based on its ability to cause a rare form of childhood bone cancer, osteosarcoma". The request refers to a doctoral thesis completed in 2001 by a student at Harvard School of Dental Medicine.
	The systematic review of water fluoridation undertaken by the University of York identified over 3,000 reports of research projects on fluoridation of which 735 met their criteria for inclusion in their study. The researchers did not find any evidence of an association between water fluoridation and bone cancer, but we are not complacent and are committed to strengthening the evidence base. In this context, we have been informed by the oral health division of the Centers for Disease Control that the author of the thesis has invited them to review her findings as part of the peer review process conducted before a research study is published. We have asked to be kept informed.

Antisocial Behaviour Orders

Mark Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many antisocial behaviour orders have been issued in (a) the Dyfed Powys Constabulary and (b) the Ceredigion constituency in each year since their introduction.

Hazel Blears: The available information is given in the table.
	
		Number of ASBOs issued at all courts, as reported to the Home Office, within the Dyfed Powys criminal justice system area, and where restrictions have been imposed in the local government authority area of Ceredigion county council, by period, from 1 April 1999 to 30 September 2004(34)
		
			   Dyfed Powys(35) Ceredigion county council(36) 
		
		
			 1 April 1999 to 31 May 2000(37) — — 
			 1 June to 31 December 2000 — — 
			 2001 — — 
			 2002 — — 
			 2003 11 8 
			 1 January to 30 September 2004 7 — 
			 Total 18 8 
		
	
	(34) Latest available.
	(35) Dyfed Powys criminal justice system area is coterminous with Dyfed Powys police force area.
	(36) Unitary authority area in which restrictions are imposed.
	4 Between 1 April 1999 and 31 May 2000 data were collected on aggregate numbers only by police force area.

Asylum Seekers

Humfrey Malins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the number of failed asylum seekers in the UK.

Tony McNulty: Information on the total number of asylum seekers currently in the UK, including failed asylum seekers, is not available. This could be obtained only at disproportionate cost by examination of individual case records. In addition some applicants may leave the United Kingdom without informing the Immigration Service. E-borders and ID cards will enable us to monitor this more precisely in the future. The Home Office published on 30 June, the outcome of the assessment of the applicability to the UK of the methods used by researchers and Government agencies in other countries to estimate the size of the illegal population. The methods had been identified in the report by the Migration Research Unit (MRU) of University College London on "Sizing the Illegally Resident Population in the UK". A copy of the RDS On-line report 29/05—"Sizing the unauthorised (illegal) migrant population in the United Kingdom in 2001" can be found at: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/notes/june_summaries.html. As in other countries, the number of "unauthorised" or "illegal" migrants—including failed asylum seekers—in the UK is unknown. The MRU report published last year reviewed the methods used in other countries and assessed their viability for use in the UK. That report suggested that a method which could be applied in the UK is the "residual method" used in the United States. The new report details how that method has been applied in the UK. It must be emphasised that, while this method is one that can be used with data available for the UK, over-reliance must not be placed on this result in the absence of the means to produce other estimates using different methods.

Asylum Seekers

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what procedures are followed when an illegal asylum seeker is detected inside UK borders.

Tony McNulty: The Immigration Nationality Directorate (IND) does not recognise the term "illegal asylum seeker". It is not illegal to seek asylum. However, a proportion of those who enter or remain in the United Kingdom illegally will subsequently seek asylum. IND will treat as an offender liable to be removed any person who has entered the United Kingdom without permission or who has obtained permission to enter the country by deception or who has overstayed. However, where a person states that they have a fear of return to their country of origin and claims asylum, the application is considered in the light of all the known circumstances before any action to remove is undertaken. Illegal entrants and overstayers are liable to detention or may be granted temporary admission with conditions to reside at a particular address and report regularly to an immigration reporting centre while their asylum claim is under consideration.

British Citizens/Subjects

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the differences are between a British citizen and a British subject; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: All British citizens have the right of abode in the United Kingdom, and all are deemed to be "nationals of the United Kingdom" for the purposes of the Treaty Establishing the European Community. Most British subjects do not have the right of abode in the United Kingdom, but some do on the basis of a pre-1983 marital or ancestral connection with this country. British subjects who do have the right of abode here are deemed to be "nationals of the United Kingdom" for European Community purposes. Other distinctions may stem from statutory or non-statutory rules for which the Home Office is not responsible, or from the laws of other countries.

Domestic Violence

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) women and (b) men have been recorded as victims of domestic violence in each of the last five years, broken down by age.

Hazel Blears: Domestic violence is not separately identified in recorded crime statistics collected by the Home Office. Figures are available within the suite of Strategic Performance Indicators for the police, relating to domestic violence "incidents" notified by police forces in England and Wales, however this is whether or not they are subsequently recorded as crimes. The British Crime Survey (BCS) routinely provides information on the number of incidents of domestic violence against men and women (but not on the actual number of victims), but this is not broken down by age (see the following table). The 2003–04 BCS estimated that there were, in total, 298,000 incidents of domestic violence against women in England and Wales, and 150,000 against men. The number of incidents of domestic violence as measured by the BCS has decreased by 42 per cent. from 1999 to 2003–04 BCS interviews. The BCS figures are estimates only. As they are derived from a sample they are subject to sampling error, also the context of the face-to-face BCS interview means the estimates are certain to be underestimates of the true extent due to the fact that some respondents may be unwilling to reveal experience of domestic violence to interviewers. To address this, self-completion components for those aged 16–59 on domestic violence have been included in the 1996, 2001, 2004–05, and 2005–06 BCS. Results from the 2001 BCS self-completion module on domestic violence were published in Home Office Research Study No. 276, deposited in the Library. This more confidential approach to measurement, revealed prevalence (percentage of population victim at least once) rates for last year domestic assault that were approximately five times higher than in the main face-to-face BCS. This report also provides the prevalence risk of domestic violence for men and women by age group (Table 5.12). This showed that risk of victimisation generally decreased with age, for both men and women.
	
		Number of BCS incidents of domestic violence,1999 to 2003–04—England and Wales Thousand
		
			  1999 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 
		
		
			 Women 560 514 366 298 
			 Men 194 122 135 150 
		
	
	Source:
	2000, 2001–02, 2002–03 and 2003–04 British Crime Surveys

Gun and Drug Crime

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what research he has commissioned into the link between gun and drug crime.

Hazel Blears: The Home Office sponsored New English and Welsh Arrestee Drug Abuse Monitoring (NEW-ADAM) survey, which involved interviewing and drug testing those arrested by the police, included questions on carrying guns. A paper based on the data has been published by T H Bennett and K Holloway, "Possession and use of illegal guns among criminals in England and Wales" (Howard Journal of Criminal Justice, Vol 43, No three, pp 237–252). The Home Office has also conducted an arrestee survey which may highlight this issue. The results of this survey will be published later this year. There have also been discussions in the context of the Home Secretary's round table on gun crime, which has looked at possible links and appropriate interventions. This research is used to inform policy and legislative proposals. The Violent Crime Reduction Bill includes a number of measures designed to further tighten the firearms legislation, including a ban on the manufacture, import or sale of realistic imitation firearms, an increase from a maximum of six to 12 months sentence for carrying an imitation firearm in a public place without lawful authority or reasonable excuse, and an increase in the minimum age for possession of an air weapon to 18. The Bill also includes a new offence of using another person to look after, hide or transport a dangerous weapon. These measures complement existing legislation and demonstrate our determination to tackle gun crime.

Indefinite Leave to Remain

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects all families who have applied for indefinite leave to remain under the one-off exercise to allow families who have been in the UK for at least three years to stay to be informed of the decision.

Tony McNulty: It is not possible to provide a precise time scale of when all those currently being considered under the exercise will have had a decision made on their case. The time it takes to reach a decision depends both on individual circumstances and on the number of cases in the consideration process. Sometimes people do not complete the Family ILR Exercise Questionnaire properly, or fail to provide the documentation requested. The checks we conduct on potentially eligible applicants can also take some time to complete, depending on individual circumstances. We also encounter a number of complex cases that can take some time to resolve. The main factor, though, which makes providing a meaningful completion date for the exercise difficult, is the substantial number of cases we still have to consider. In addition, cases we had not previously identified for consideration under the exercise continue to come to light which we are also required to respond to. We are hoping to have completed consideration of the majority of cases by the end of April 2006. Key statistics relating to the Family ILR Exercise were published as part of the quarterly asylum statistics on 17 May. These show the current status of the exercise up to and including 31 March 2005 and are available to the public on the Home Office (HO) Research Development and Statistics (RDS) website. The full web address is:www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html. These statistics will be updated in August to cover the second quarter of 2005.

Methadone

Fabian Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the sources of methadone traded illegally.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 28 June 2005
	The Home Office have not conducted any systematic assessment of "black market" trading in methadone.

Passports

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been convicted for fraudulently using a UK passport in London in each of the last five years.

Hazel Blears: Data from the Home Office Court Proceedings database on the number of people found guilty of fraudulently using a UK passport under S.26(1)(d) Immigration Act 1971 in London, 1999 to 2003 is contained in the table.
	
		Number of offenders found guilty for offences under S.26 (1 )(d) Immigration Act 1971 in London, 1999–2003(51)(52)
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 1999 4 
			 2000 1 
			 2001 2 
			 2002 1 
			 2003 2 
		
	
	(51) These data are on the principal immigration offence basis.
	(52) Includes Metropolitan and City of London police force areas.
	Note:
	Statistics for 2004 court proceedings will be available in the autumn.

Police

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his answer of 7 June 2005, Official Report, column 518W, on police precepts, if he will provide figures per capita of the population for each police authority in each year from 1997–98 to 2005–06.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 21 June 2005
	The information is set out in the following table.
	
		
			  £ 
			  Precept per head of population 
			 Police authority 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 
		
		
			 Avon and Somerset 17.47 18.56 20.68 23.12 24.93 28.73 39.52 44.51 46.62 
			 Bedfordshire 17.41 18.64 20.54 22.46 23.64 26.58 31.84 36.63 38.52 
			 Cambridgeshire 16.87 15.96 17.27 20.72 22.73 31.63 39.48 45.46 47.40 
			 Cheshire 17.51 18.68 19.71 21.55 23.04 26.32 31.84 35.48 37.38 
			 Cleveland 15.37 13.66 17.73 18.68 20.09 27.90 36.11 41.35 42.97 
			 Cumbria 18.82 23.61 25.61 27.79 30.29 33.87 44.77 52.70 54.69 
			 Derbyshire 15.76 17.68 20.46 22.24 23.81 29.12 36.46 40.20 41.89 
			 Devon and Cornwall 17.06 16.73 18.61 20.64 21.76 25.97 36.89 41.35 43.77 
			 Dorset 24.47 27.35 30.07 32.87 35.98 40.25 48.75 54.43 57.96 
			 Durham 14.62 13.68 14.26 15.02 16.24 18.75 23.90 27.73 29.35 
			 Dyfed-Powys 17.33 21.43 26.45 31.18 33.41 36.22 45.88 52.87 56.23 
			 Essex 19.44 22.55 23.72 25.03 26.26 28.76 34.96 37.49 39.74 
			 Gloucestershire 18.18 20.54 24.72 28.27 29.89 34.38 52.45 58.25 60.92 
			 Greater Manchester 15.58 16.32 17.50 18.26 18.97 20.21 28.10 30.03 32.04 
			 Gwent 15.58 17.41 19.30 24.52 27.75 31.71 40.58 47.61 51.34 
			 Hampshire 18.23 17.72 19.09 19.60 21.05 26.97 35.31 39.59 41.73 
			 Hertfordshire 20.48 23.44 25.26 27.16 28.92 32.29 39.96 46.00 48.35 
			 Humberside 15.11 15.34 16.14 17.95 25.79 28.90 35.28 41.18 42.88 
			 Kent 18.50 17.47 19.03 20.27 21.92 26.80 35.35 39.66 41.85 
			 Lancashire 16.03 16.23 17.67 19.31 21.17 23.18 27.95 32.28 34.60 
			 Leicestershire 15.71 18.47 19.44 20.91 23.38 29.71 33.55 38.42 40.68 
			 Lincolnshire 21.90 25.18 26.33 28.08 29.70 31.43 34.46 36.96 39.45 
			 Merseyside 18.94 20.47 22.22 23.53 25.17 28.02 31.03 33.98 35.84 
			 Metropolitan 24.26 29.38 31.69 34.56 44.59 49.04 61.80 70.95 75.95 
			 Norfolk 16.87 18.04 21.73 24.42 28.38 34.14 42.23 48.56 50.89 
			 North Wales 17.11 20.75 23.96 28.59 30.47 35.78 47.19 56.80 63.25 
			 North Yorkshire 17.78 17.47 18.99 20.80 22.97 32.58 57.99 64.81 66.60 
			 Northamptonshire 22.40 22.20 24.69 25.99 27.42 35.22 43.99 50.51 52.44 
			 Northumbria 14.77 13.49 14.21 14.88 16.12 17.02 19.20 20.36 21.25 
			 Nottinghamshire 14.46 15.88 18.13 19.36 20.97 25.71 33.83 37.27 39.23 
			 South Wales 15.88 18.17 21.17 26.24 28.02 29.49 35.66 40.25 43.60 
			 South Yorkshire 14.47 14.79 15.48 16.23 17.37 20.65 27.15 29.96 31.47 
			 Staffordshire 16.77 22.34 24.36 25.92 29.66 32.08 41.11 45.36 47.99 
			 Suffolk 17.20 17.63 18.94 20.71 22.92 28.05 38.35 42.64 44.58 
			 Surrey 19.40 28.94 32.78 34.81 36.09 42.05 60.17 65.84 69.33 
			 Sussex 19.87 19.69 20.58 21.51 22.83 27.00 38.71 42.29 44.56 
			 Thames Valley 19.84 19.13 21.31 22.81 24.41 27.81 41.15 46.97 49.32 
			 Warwickshire 18.39 22.00 25.38 27.71 30.88 37.22 43.60 47.01 49.13 
			 West Mercia 17.64 18.83 20.79 26.21 28.09 37.48 42.85 49.54 51.76 
			 West Midlands 15.00 13.87 14.62 15.71 16.49 18.01 21.35 23.81 25.04 
			 West Yorkshire 15.12 15.09 15.86 17.13 17.90 22.53 26.96 30.98 32.90 
			 Wiltshire 19.94 22.85 25.11 27.80 30.65 33.79 41.04 45.14 47.63 
		
	
	Source:
	Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and the National Assembly for Wales.

Public Order Act

Humfrey Malins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people (a) over 18 years and (b) under 18 years were prosecuted for offences under section (i) 1, (ii) 2, (iii) 3, (iv) 4, (v) 4(a) and (vi) 5.5 of the Public Order Act 1986 in each of the last three years; and how many were convicted in each case.

Hazel Blears: The information contained in the following table gives the number of defendants proceeded against at the magistrates courts and found guilty at all courts for offences under the Public Order Act 1986, Secs one, two, three, four, 4A and five, in England and Wales from 2001 to 2003. Statistics on court proceedings for 2004 will be published in the autumn.
	
		Number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts and found guilty at all courts for certain offences under the Public Order Act 1986(53), England and Wales 2001 to 2003
		
			Aged 10 to 17 
			 Offence description  Statute  Year Proceeded against Found guilty 
		
		
			 Riot Public Order Act 1986, 2001 9 7 
			  Sec 1 2002 37 34 
			   2003 3 2 
			  
			 Violent Public Order Act 1986, 2001 1,214 155 
			 disorder Sec 2 2002 996 182 
			   2003 897 194 
			  
			 Affray Public Order Act 1986, 2001 3,169 1,236 
			  Sec 3 2002 3,026 1,233 
			   2003 2,821 1,152 
			  
			 Fear or Public Order Act 1986, 2001 2,597 1,532 
			 provocation Sec 4 as amended by 2002 2,519 1,527 
			 of violence(54) Crime and Disorder Act 1998 Sec31(1)(a) and (4) 2003 2,529 1,535 
			  
			 Causing Public Order Act 1986, 2001 526 224 
			 intentional Sec 4A as amended by 2002 453 214 
			 harassment, alarm or distress(55) Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, Sec 154 2003 466 238 
			  
			 Harassment, Public Order Act 1986, 2001 4,763 2,819 
			 alarm or Sec 5 as amended by 2002 4,442 2,685 
			 distress(56) Crime and Disorder Act 1998, Sec 31 (1)(c) and (5) 2003 4,846 2,984 
		
	
	
		
			Aged 18 and over 
			 Offence description  Statute  Year Proceeded against Found guilty 
		
		
			 Riot Public Order Act 1986, 2001 71 3 
			  Sec 1 2002 124 99 
			   2003 34 43 
			  
			 Violent Public Order Act 1986, 2001 3,373 513 
			 disorder Sec 2 2002 2,720 704 
			   2003 2,380 625 
			  
			 Affray Public Order Act 1986, 2001 13,641 5,965 
			  Sec 3 2002 13,392 5,949 
			   2003 12,970 5,893 
			  
			 Fear or Public Order Act 1986, 2001 14,826 10,043 
			 provocation Sec 4 as amended by 2002 14,883 10,106 
			 of violence(54) Crime and Disorder Act 1998 Sec31(1)(a) and (4) 2003 14,962 10,314 
			  
			 Causing Public Order Act 1986, 2001 1873 972 
			 intentional Sec 4A as amended by 2002 1817 976 
			 harassment, alarm or distress(55) Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, Sec 154 2003 2028 1113 
			  
			 Harassment, Public Order Act 1986, 2001 19,621 13,394 
			 alarm or Sec 5 as amended by 2002 20,235 13,987 
			 distress(56) Crime and Disorder Act 1998, Sec 31 (1)(c) and (5) 2003 21,852 15,416 
		
	
	
		
			All ages 
			 Offence description  Statute  Year Proceeded against Found guilty 
		
		
			 Riot Public Order Act 1986, 2001 80 10 
			  Sec 1 2002 161 133 
			   2003 37 45 
			  
			 Violent Public Order Act 1986, 2001 4,587 668 
			 disorder Sec 2 2002 3,716 886 
			   2003 3,277 819 
			  
			 Affray Public Order Act 1986, 2001 16,810 7,201 
			  Sec 3 2002 16,418 7,182 
			   2003 15,791 7,045 
			  
			 Fear or Public Order Act 1986, 2001 17,423 11,575 
			 provocation Sec 4 as amended by 2002 17,402 11,633 
			 of violence(54) Crime and Disorder Act 1998 Sec31(1)(a) and (4) 2003 17,491 11,849 
			  
			 Causing Public Order Act 1986, 2001 2,399 1,196 
			 intentional Sec as amended by 2002 2,270 1,190 
			 harassment, alarm or distress(55) Criminal Justice 4A and Public Order Act 1994, Sec 154 2003 2,494 1,351 
			  
			 Harassment, Public Order Act 1986, 2001 24,384 16,213 
			 alarm or Sec 5 as amended by 2002 24,677 16,672 
			 distress(56) Crime and Disorder Act 1998, Sec 31 (1)(c) and (5) 2003 26,698 18,400 
		
	
	(53) These data are on the principal offence basis.
	(54) Includes offences: Racially aggravated fear or provocation of violence, Religiously aggravated fear or provocation of violence and Racially or religiously aggravated fear or provocation of violence.
	(55) Includes offences: Racially aggravated causing intentional harassment, alarm or distress, Religiously aggravated causing intentional harassment, alarm or distress and Racially or religiously aggravated causing intentional harassment, alarm or distress.
	(56) Includes offences: Racially aggravated harassment, alarm or distress, Religiously aggravated harassment, alarm or distress and Racially or religiously aggravated harassment, alarm or distress.

Right of Abode

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of British nationals have the right of abode in the UK; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: The expression "British national" is not used or defined in our nationality legislation, but is commonly understood to refer to the following:
	British citizens;
	British overseas territories citizens;
	British overseas citizens;
	British subjects;
	British nationals (overseas); and
	British protected persons.
	Because these statuses are in most cases acquired through the automatic operation of law it is not possible to say precisely how many people fall into each category and, thus, what proportion have the right of abode in the United Kingdom.

Shoplifting

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of shoplifters brought to police attention were (a) taken into custody, (b) charged, (c) prosecuted and (d) convicted in each year from 1997 to 2004.

Hazel Blears: Statistics on the number of people brought to the attention of the police for shoplifting who were taken into custody or charged are not centrally collected. Available information from the Home Office Court Proceeding database giving the number of persons prosecuted and found guilty for the offence "stealing from shops and stalls" England and Wales for the years 1997 to 2003 is shown in the table. Statistics on court proceedings for 2004 will be available in the autumn.
	
		Number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts and found guilty at all courts for offences under S1 Theft Act 1968, England and Wales, 1997 to 2003(57)—Offence: Stealing from shops and stalls
		
			  Proceeded against Found guilty 
		
		
			 1997 69,666 58,401 
			 1998 77,915 66,690 
			 1999 85,491 74,350 
			 2000 89,050 77,542 
			 2001 92,233 79,933 
			 2002 92,664 80,167 
			 2003 86,089 74,928 
		
	
	(57) These data are on the principal offence basis.